Love Is All We Need
by DumpsterHipster
Summary: [HIGH SCHOOL Naruto AU fanfic] / [NaruHina] One fateful afternoon, 17-year-old Uzumaki Naruto rescued a girl from getting raped in a downtown alley. The girl is no other than Hyuga Hinata, daughter of the owner of the Hyuga Enterprises, one of the largest and richest business companies in all of Konoha. What does destiny have in store for them?
1. Chapter 1 : How They Met

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Naruto. The original Naruto is property of Masashi Kishimoto. This fan fiction is _non-canon _and is NOT set in the Shinobi World but in our current modern world.

* * *

**Summary:**

One fateful afternoon, 17-year-old Uzumaki Naruto rescued a girl from getting raped in a downtown alley. The girl is no other than Hyuga Hinata, daughter of the owner of the **Hyuga Enterprises**, one of the largest and richest business companies in all of Konoha.

He grew up an orphan. She grew up with over-protective parents. He was failing high school. She excelled in her studies. Naruto and Hinata are two polar opposites, but what does destiny have in store for them?

* * *

**Beginning Song:** _"You and Me"_ by Lighthouse

**Ending Song:** _"Never Be The Same" by Red_

* * *

**Chapter One**

**How They Met**

Independence.

Hyuga Hinata had always wished for it. Ever since she was born, she was surrounded by bodyguards, housekeepers and servants who did her every bidding. And her overprotective parents who insisted on enrolling her to self-defence classes ever since they decided to move her to a new high school last week.

The self-defence classes had been a waste of money. Hinata never felt like she would be a victim going in, but she sure did now.

Alone.

Walking towards the train station along the busy streets of Konoha after she had attended her first day of school at **Konoha Senior High School**.

"Hey, sexy." a guy whistled at her.

But she ignored him.

Stares from a couple of by-standers nearby fell on her for reasons she couldn't understand. Was something wrong with her? Why are they staring at her body like that? There was just something lascivious about the way they gazed at her.

"Where are you going, sweetheart? You seem to be in a hurry."

One of the by-standers blocked her path.

"I-I'm on m-my way t-to the train s-station." Hinata always had this quirky habit of stuttering whenever she is nervous or scared. And right now, she was feeling both.

"That's great! Me and mah' niggas are heading there too. Need a company?" another man insisted.

"N-No, thank you. I'll b-be fine on m-my own."

"Nonsense. A sexy damsel like you needs a man by her side all the time."

Three suspicious men surrounded her, like vultures waiting to strike down their prey. Her parents had taught her not to talk to strangers, but she didn't know what to do in this situation which is new to her. She has seen this type of situation in those crime scene movies, wherein an innocent woman gets cornered by men and bad things usually happen to her in the end.

"C'mon. Don't be shy." one man said.

"We'll give you a good time." the other continued as his sharp features cracked into a sadistic grin.

He grabbed her shoulder all of a sudden.

The next thing she knew, was that one of the three men had covered her mouth and forcibly dragging her body to one of the empty alleys just on the side of the streets.

_NOOOO! _Hinata screamed. But her cries for help were muffled by the man's meaty hands covering her mouth. Her attempts to wiggle herself out of their grasps were to no avail.

* * *

Uzumaki Naruto had just finished his shift at his part-time job at **Ichiraku's Ramen Restaurant**, working as a waiter. The blonde had broken his back in working for several part-time jobs every after school hours, hoping to earn a few bucks to spend for his studies. Life wasn't so good for him.

"See you tomorrow, Naruto-kun! Thanks a lot for your help." Ayame Teuchi, daughter of the owner of Ichiraku's, bid him goodbye as she stood at the cashier's post.

"No worries, Ayame-chan. Always happy to serve."

"Here, take some free ramen coupons. Don't you want to have dinner while you're still here?" she offered.

But he kindly refused. "I've got other things to take care of, sorry. But I'll be here tomorrow for my shift!"

The blonde exited the restaurant and was met by a familiar sight. Busy streets, people passing by, lights already beginning to light up the streets for the coming night. He reached out for his pockets to retrieve something.

_Oh shit. My phone._ Naruto remembered.

He forgot to get his cell phone out from his locker a while ago in school. Naruto was busy with basketball practice and after the training session, he proceeded to the ramen restaurant right away to do his job.

"A waste of gasoline." Naruto sighed.

As he was about to head to the parking lot to get to his car, he caught sight of something suspicious going on alongside an alley, next to the ramen restaurant.

Three shady men were holding captive a young woman who seemed to be wearing a school uniform coming from the same school as his. Naruto couldn't identify who the girl was, but something inside was telling him that she's in a very deep trouble.

"HEY! STOP!"

Naruto ran after the men who were strangling that girl with long, dark-blue hair. They were dragging her towards the deep corners of the alley, which could only mean one thing.

Those men are going to rape her.

* * *

Hands closed on her arm tightly — hot, meaty and painful as the men dragged her towards a dead end of an alley. She tried screaming, but the other hand was covering her mouth shut.

It was secluded, dark and cold. Dangerous. Hinata couldn't make out anything except for the faint light coming from one corner where the entrance of the alley was. She couldn't even see the faces of these men who abducted her with purely lustful intentions.

Loud noise coming from the cars and music from a bar right across the street didn't help at all. They suppressed her screams from getting heard instead.

"You can scream all you want, baby." A voice spoke from the darkness. "No one will hear you."

"She must be a virgin. I'll go first." another one said. She could hear him unzipping his pants.

_They're going to rape me! _The Hyuga thought.

Hinata panicked as sweat started to trickle down her body whilst she struggled and squirmed when the men began touching her in her most intimate parts. They ripped her clothes off, starting from her boots, her school socks, then her skirt, until they were going to take off her panties ….

But then.

"LEAVE HER ALONE!" A voice came out of nowhere.

* * *

Naruto arrived on time to witness three men, tearing away the defenceless girl's clothes from her body. Their voices were sharp and cruel, he could tell. But Naruto was good when it comes to concealing his emotions. And right now, he shitless scared.

Adrenaline was his best ally as Naruto bolted towards the three men who were strangling the girl and shoved them away from her with brute force. He swung an arm to land a punch on one of the guys who tried to lunge forth him. Naruto knew how to swallow pain and hide emotions.

"I called the police! They're on their way!" Naruto shouted, his heart kicking against his ribs rapidly.

"H-He called the cops! Run!"

And the three men scampered off.

_Idiots_. Naruto grinned in satisfaction as he watched the rapists scrambling and running away from the scene in panic.

It was a good lie.

He then turned towards the girl and slowly crouched down in front of her to comfort her. She was shaking, pale and sweating. Her skin was colder than ice cubes inside a freezer, her lips as white as an albino trapped in a snow storm. And Naruto pitied her.

"Calm down. Just calm down, alright?" he said softly in a gentle voice.

Still, no response. Her lips were quivering and her body continued trembling.

"You're going to be fine. I won't hurt you."

_Now what, genius?_

Naruto scanned her from tip-to-toe. The darkness surrounding him caused him to be unable to fully see her face. But Naruto was sure that he hasn't seen her face around school before. _She must be a new student._

"Here." he grabbed her skirt that fell on the cemented ground beside him and offered it to her. "Wear them. I'll look away when you get changed and make sure they don't come back."

"Th-thank you… I c-could've, c-could've…" she finally spoke. Her breathing was a rattle of air sucking into her lungs, ending on a wheeze everytime she took a breath.

"Sshh… Don't say too much. Get dressed." Naruto assured her one more time before shifting his gaze away from her to give her time to get dressed.

He's going to have to take her home.

* * *

Hinata found security and safety in the presence of this blonde boy who had just saved her life. Honestly, she thought that it would be the end of her. Three guys were on her and she was helpless. Her self-defence lessons hadn't really helped her at all.

"I'm Naruto by the way." the blonde began.

_So, that's his name._ The name of her hero.

"H-Hinata. N-Nice to m-meet you."

"Get in the car. I'll ride you home — I mean, I'll drop you off at your house." he added quickly.

She got into the seat beside the driver's seat. His car wasn't _that_ classy, unlike the one's she had at the mansion. It wasn't a BMW or a Lamborghini, just an ordinary four-wheel Toyota. Hinata observed him fumble for the car keys before he managed to get the engine on.

"Jesus fucking Christ." Naruto swore.

The engine died.

"No wonder why Genma sold this piece of shit for a thousand bucks." he twisted the key once more.

And the engine finally turned on.

"Sorry for the delay."

She watched his foot step on the accelerator and the car was on its way. Naruto swung the car out of the parking lot and unto the highway, speeding up like a bank robber on the loose. The trauma left by a while ago still lingered in her mind and Hinata could feel her heart beat on the back of her tongue as she took in a deep sigh of relief.

"Th-thank you for s-saving my life."

Naruto seemed to be focused on the road. He wasn't saying anything for now. But seconds later, he finally spoke.

"Your uniform." he took a quick look at her. "Are you from my school in Konoha High? Haven't seen ya' around there before or this morning."

He didn't even bother saying _You're welcome_, but Hinata knew that she wasn't in the place to demand that kind of response. The guy had saved her life today. He was her hero after all.

"I'm a n-new s-student. Th-they took me on a t-tour around the campus t-today."

"That explains." Naruto replied without looking at her.

Seconds of silence followed.

"Ya' know. I didn't really call the cops."

Hinata whipped her head towards him, her eyes widened in disbelief. The way Naruto shouted at the three men about how he called the cops seemed so realistic at that time. And it was music to her ears.

"Y-You l-lied?"

"I guess those three assholes were just idiots."

She looked at the road once more and took note of how Naruto had gone past the Red Lights. He wasn't abiding the law, like a free animal untamed.

"Th-the l-lights were r-red —"

But he interrupted before she could continue.

"Where do you live?"

She forgot that she hadn't told him of her address. For a second, her mind went entirely blank. What happened a while ago gave her a momentary amnesia. Hinata had forgotten where she lived for a second.

"Hey. I asked you something." Naruto glanced at the side-mirror before shifting his gaze on her.

Naruto's eyes met hers. His cerulean-blue eyes, bluer than the bluest of oceans. _Nice eyes_, Hinata noticed — sharp, brave and fearless under the fringe of blond hair that fell on his forehead. Her hero was quiet handsome in all honesty and his body was definitely average. Not so muscular, not so thin. Just enough.

He smirked. "You forgot your address?"

Hinata jerked her eyes back on the road, blushing after she realised that she had been staring at him for several seconds already.

"N-No, y-you can d-drop me off th-there."

The blonde followed his eyes at the direction where she was pointing at.

"The Hyuga Enterprise building?"

"Y-Yes."

"You live there?" Naruto glanced at her quickly.

She nodded innocently.

"You're bloody joking me. You've got a sense of humour, ya' know. I like that." Naruto chuckled. She heard him laugh for the first time.

It's no use arguing. Hinata knew that no one would believe her so easily if she'd tell them that she was related to Hiashi Hyuga, the founder and CEO of the Hyuga Enterprises. Besides, why would she be in a public school for someone so rich? They might think that she's lying if she'd force them to believe her.

The car stopped in front of the towering building.

"Okay, that's fifty bucks for saving your life and another twenty bucks for the free ride."

"Y-You charge m-money?" her eyes widened at him.

"Nah, just kidding." Naruto grinned teasingly.

Hinata got out of the car and waved goodbye at the blonde guy who saved her life before entering the Hyuga building.

"B-Bye."

"Maybe I'll see ya' tomorrow. Be safe, Hinata."

For a second, she saw him shoot a cute wink at her before speeding off the road.

_He winked at me_. Hinata turned bright red. A lot of guys tried flirting with her before but didn't get a chance to do so because she always had her bodyguards surrounding her. And it probably intimidated them all.

And that was how they met.


	2. Chapter 2 : The Pop Quiz

**Beginning Song:** _"You and Me"_ by Lighthouse

**Ending Song:** _"Never Be The Same" by Red_

* * *

**Chapter Two**

**The Pop Quiz**

His old man was already there, sitting at the kitchen table and pawing through some playboy magazine when he arrived at their apartment. Two dinner plates with sandwiches each sat in front of him. Naruto wasn't surprised to see this scenery.

"Fetch me some beer at the fridge."

Naruto sighed but did as told. Old man Jiraiya was his foster parent. The geezer had adopted him and raised him ever since he was a baby, although after Naruto reached his teenage years, he started earning money for himself.

"What's with the sigh, Naruto? Your not the one here without a job anymore." Jiraiya lifted his eyes from the magazine as Naruto placed a bottle of wine in front of him.

"What?"

"I lost my job."

"AGAIN?! Why am I not surprised." Naruto sarcastically retorted.

It's been the fourth time for the year that Jiraiya had lost his job. And it all involved one thing in common: _Women_. Either the old hag had got caught flirting with his boss' secretary or he was making out with some random co-worker while at work.

"How's your day?" Jiraiya asked.

Naruto considered reviewing what had happened a while ago. Meeting Hinata. Rescuing her from rapists. Dropping her off at her place.

_Complicated_. "Long story. Is that our dinner?"

Jiraiya grabbed the sandwich on his plate and started munching it. "I lost my job. So, hell yeah."

"Jesus. How long did you last there again? Oh yes, that's right. _Four months_. Just _four_."

Jiraiya flicked through the next page of the playboy magazine, ignoring his foster son's ranting. It's always been like this. Naruto would rant and start scolding him everytime he'd lost his job ever since the boy reached his "mature" teenage years.

Naruto continued. "Why can't you control yourself? You bring one of your whores here once every week. Who is it this time? You fucked your boss' daughter?"

With a calm composure, Jiraiya closed the magazine.

"My boss." he replied.

"Oh." the blonde said. "So you've raised your standards I see. No more flirting with the co-workers or secretaries. You just go for the real _boss_ herself."

"You don't know what your talking about."

"Why'd she fire you? You touched her?"

Naruto sat opposite to his old man at the dinner table, not letting his eyes stray off of him like a parent scolding his child.

"I didn't touch her, moron. She couldn't handle the charm coming out of my ass."

"No shit." the blonde grabbed the last piece of sandwich in front of him and started eating.

The telephone rang. Naruto pretended to be busy eating his sandwich so that his old man would answer the phone call.

"Jiraiya, speaking." he answered the phone.

_It's me… Tsunade._

"Ah, what a surprise to get a phone call from a beautiful lady such as yourself. How can I help?"

_Don't flatter me, Jiraiya. I called to let you know —_

They talked on the phone for ages, the old man throwing in compliments and flattering whoever was on the other side of the phone at every chance that he'd get. Naruto was sure that it's one of Jiraiya's whores giving him a phone call for owing them money. Probably.

"Alright. Bye, sweetie." Jiraiya dismissed the call.

Naruto eyed him curiously afterwards, munching the sandwich as he did so. It was the kind of look that says _'Who was it?'_ And the old man knew.

"Good news."

"What? You gonna get laid tomorrow?" Naruto swallowed the food before answering.

"My boss Tsunade is re-hiring me."

* * *

Tomorrow came. And the Naruto had to go to school.

First session.

_Trigonometry._

Naruto hates Maths, with a burning passion.

He felt his shoulders tightened as he walked through the doorway inside his classroom. His teacher, Iruka-sensei wasn't in class yet and so he made his way to the farthest seat at the back row. Naruto sat on his seat and looked around, looking for someone to strike a conversation with. But he doubt that someone would want to talk to him. Considering that he had a bad reputation in school.

Rumours about the prostitutes who often visit his apartment for Jiraiya's _needs_ spread like wildfire around the campus. And the message got passed on like Chinese Whispers. Most students in school thought that Naruto was the one using the prostitutes for his own pleasure.

It got him a bad name.

"Hey, Sakura-chan." Naruto said.

Haruno Sakura and Yamanaka Ino sat on the desk in front of him, their feet on the chair. Their skirts were so short, shorter than what the school would've allowed. And Naruto was at eye level with just about _everything_.

_Pink and purple panties._ The blonde took note as he took a quick glance of their underwear.

"What do you want, Naruto?" Sakura turned to him.

"Nothing. Just wondering if you'd consider taking up my offer the last time."

Sakura got down from the desk and leaned forward, resting her hands on her knees as she looked at him.

_Pink bra_. Naruto got a clear view down her school uniform too. He felt luck coming down his way. Ever since he started high school, Naruto always had a crush on the pinkette but Sakura never reciprocated his affections for her.

"What offer?" she looked at him from under her lashes.

"Ya' know, going on a date with me tonight?"

"Oh. That." She frowned, then flipped her hair. "Aren't you playing against Sunagakure High tonight?"

"I can fit you in my schedule. Basketball can wait."

Sports have been Naruto's forte and saving grace. Basketball is the only reason why he'd bother passing every single subject in school. Without his sports career, he'd lost his scholarship. With Jiraiya always losing his job, he won't be able to get to college if he'd lose his scholarship now.

Sakura licked her lips. "My parent's will be out of the city this weekend. Ino and I were just thinking of hosting a party at my house."

"Count me in, Sakura-chan."

"I didn't even invite you yet."

"Wouldn't you?" Naruto shot her a cute wink.

"Fine. You can come to the party. But don't get your hopes up. We're _never_ going on a date. Ever." Sakura said. "You and I will _never_ happen, Naruto."

Her rejection always felt like a knife stabbing his chest multiple times, but Naruto had gotten used to it already. He always tried asking her out on a date at every chance he'd get ever since he had the courage to man up after he harboured feelings for her when they first met. But as usual, she'd never see him as more than a friend. Sakura will never be his.

Footsteps could be heard as someone walked into the classroom and everyone scampered back to their seats, knowing who those footsteps are from. A man, whose brown hair was tied-up in a ponytail with a horizontal scar on his nose walked towards the front of the class.

It was their Iruka-sensei.

"Sorry I'm late everyone. I want you all to keep your mouths shut now." he said. "We've got someone new joining our class today and I had to show her the way towards our classroom."

_A new student? Could it be —._ Naruto suddenly remembered his encounter with a girl named Hinata yesterday. And he wasn't wrong.

"Come in, Hinata." Iruka gestured someone from outside the door to enter.

A girl with dark-blue hair and stunning white eyes entered the classroom and all eyes fell on her. Hinata wore no make-up, her face was all natural and simple. She wore a shy look on her face whilst she walked in front of the class towards Iruka.

"This is Hyuga Hinata and she will be with us until the end of school year. So I expect you all to welcome her and be nice, got it?" Iruka announced.

"Got it, sensei." the class answered.

"Now, Hinata. You are now free to choose wherever you want to sit."

Naruto stared at her intently, scanning her eyes for any signs that she might've recognised him from yesterday. He made that coughing sound at the back of his throat to get her attention. There was this vacant seat beside him at the back row. To his luck, Hinata's gaze met his own and her eyes sparkled at the familiarity of his face. The Hyuga made his way towards the seat beside him.

"Look at her. What a lesbian." Ino whispered towards Sakura as they watched Hinata make her way towards the back row.

"She's not even wearing any make-up." Sakura whispered back.

Unlike the other girls in class, Hyuga Hinata was plain and simple. Her simplicity would often create misconceptions about her sexuality, leading others to think of her as a lesbo. Her face was make-up free, and definitely not some artwork by an artist named "_Leonardo Da Bitchy"_.

She sat on the seat beside Naruto and placed her bag beside her desk. He observed the way she moved. So fragile and innocent, yet graceful.

"Okay, class. We'll start the day with a pop quiz."

_Fuck._ Naruto froze. _A quiz?_ He hadn't studied for anything at all.

"But sensei, today is the second day of Semester Two. We barely even talked about anything in maths for this term." Shikamaru Nara shouted from the front row.

"Don't worry, Shikamaru. This quiz won't be recorded. I just want to know if you all remember the stuff that we talked about in Semester One."

"Troublesome." the Nara added.

Naruto could feel his palms sweat now. Even though it won't be recorded, he'd be guilty as charged for the good results that he got last semester.

He cheated. On the last term's final exams.

And for sure, his sensei would be suspicious if ever he'd fail this pop quiz as it will be opposed to his results last term. A number of negative thoughts flooded his head. If that's the case, his teacher would possibly interrogate him about it if ever he'd fail today's quiz.

Naruto wiped his palms on his pants.

He probably should go to the bathroom and never come back.

Yeah right. _That's really subtle_.

Iruka started handing out the test papers on each row. The sound of test papers getting passed on to each person down the row sounded like Naruto's ticking time bomb.

"Once you receive your test paper, you may begin." he declared.

Naruto took in a deep breath. _I can do this._ He dug his hands inside his pockets to search for something to write with. Car keys. Candy. Ramen Coupons. No pen or pencils.

_Shit._

The blonde glanced quickly at the new girl beside him. Hinata's dark-blue hair trailed down her back. He observed her make-up free face, creamy white and with soft features. Then his eyes fell on her breasts.

_Boobs won't help me right now_. He thought.

But deep inside, there was just something wrong about looking at her in a sexual way. Hinata seemed so innocent. Purely innocent and untainted that it felt really wrong to think of dirty thoughts on her. Besides, she almost got raped yesterday and luckily he was there to save her life.

So he turned to the pinkette in front of him instead.

"Sakura-chan." he whispered.

But she ignored him.

"Do you have a spare pencil?"

No reply. Sakura is the smartest girl in class and he doubt that she'd want distractions during a pop quiz. But still, his irritation flared.

"Hey, Sakura-chan. Hook me up with a pencil, will ya?"

"Shut up, idiot!" Sakura gritted her teeth, but flicked her pencil towards the blonde at the back before getting another one from her pencil case.

"OW!" the pencil hit his forehead.

Naruto rolled his eyes before looking at the paper.

**QUESTION 1.** _If the function f satisfies the equation f(x + y) = f(x) + f(y) for every pair of real numbers x and y, what are the possible values of f(0) ?_

_WTF?_ The blonde Uzumaki stared at the question like he was disabling a time-bomb. He might have to skip this one for now. They talked about this in Term One but he hadn't been listening.

**QUESTION 2.** _Convert π / 8 radians to degrees._

_Son of a bitch_.

Maths had been Naruto's greatest enemy in school. Ever since he entered high school, the subject had become a foreign language to him. Numbers had been mixed up with letters and shit's gotten worse from there. To him, maths is like reading Chinese. And he doesn't read or speak Chinese.

_C'mon Naruto, don't be a pussy._

He reached the third question and started attempting the rest although he didn't know whether his answers were right or wrong. Handing out a blank test paper would be a bad idea.

Amidst the silence in class, Naruto heard something snap.

_Snap!_

His pencil. The lid broke in half.

Some students in class looked at him. Naruto whipped his head to the right. Hinata was staring at him in agape but turned away after he looked at her.

_Whatever._ He took in a deep breath.

He continued answering the test questions.

_Tick-tock-tick-tock_. It had been the longest forty-minutes of Naruto's life. The blonde Uzumaki found it even more exhausting than his basketball practices. Mental exhaustion proved to be an equivalent of running a ten-mile marathon.

"Pencils up. That's enough time now." Iruka announced.

_Thank god_. Naruto sighed.

"Exchange papers with the person next to you. I will write the answers on the board for you to check if your seat mate had the right answers for marking."

Naruto shifted his gaze to his right. Hinata was already holding her paper out to him. He wanted to look at her straight in the eye and ask if she remembered him from yesterday, but the Hyuga seemed so shy to glance at him.

_Is she … blushing?_ He thought. Hinata's cheeks seemed flushed after he exchanged papers with her.

They exchanged test papers.

One paper completely neat, the other a fucking mess. You know which one belongs to whom.

He chewed the end of his pencil nub as he waited for Iruka to finish writing the answers on the board. At the same time, Naruto was unconsciously tapping his foot on the floor, nervous of what the outcome of the pop quiz will be. _I'm definitely going to fail._

"H-Hey."

Naruto whipped his head to the right. Hinata was staring at him, eyes widened like she'd seen a ghost.

"You remember me?" he whispered with a smile.

"Y-Yes, Naruto-kun." her cheeks turned redder.

"What's up, Hinata?"

"Y-Your … Your answers are all w-wrong."

His smile faded.

Like she needed to say it to his face. A whip of embarrassment hit Naruto. What would new girl think of her now? Way to make a first impression. He glanced back at her test paper and looked at the board to check her answers. Hinata's name was written in perfect script at the top left-hand corner of the test paper. _Hyuga Hinata_.

And of course.

She got every single question right.

"Whatever. Don't care." he ignored Hinata.

At the corner of his eye, he saw her flinch a little at his response. Was he being rude? Or did he sound like a dick to her?

But then he saw her getting out an eraser and Hinata started erasing something on his test paper. He glanced back at her to see what she was doing. She was writing at his paper subtly, as if she didn't want anyone to notice what she was doing.

_What's she doing to my paper? _He didn't know.

Afterwards, Iruka-sensei called for all test papers to be passed forward before he dismissed the whole class.

Before Naruto got to confront Hinata about what she was doing a while ago, she already bolted out of the classroom and was nowhere to be found.

"Naruto. Come here." Iruka called him.

_Oh shit._

"What, sensei?" the blonde went up to him as he slung his backpack over his shoulder.

"You passed the test. I'm impressed, Naruto."

_WHAT?_ Naruto's eyes widened at the declaration.

He cleared his throat. "How? I mean— What did I get?"

"Seventy-five percent. Not bad." Iruka said as he placed the test papers inside his suitcase. "I'd expect you to keep up the good work. I don't know what you've eaten today but your doing great."

A sudden realisation dawned on Naruto. He recalled what Hinata was doing a while ago. The way she was subtly writing something on his paper after erasing a bunch of stuff.

She changed his answers.

_But why?_


	3. Chapter 3 : Awakening

**Beginning Song:** _"You and Me"_ by Lighthouse

**Ending Song:** _"Never Be The Same" by Red_

* * *

**Chapter Three**

**Awakening**

Slowly, he blinked. A faint white light invaded his hazy vision. He couldn't feel a thing. His muscles were numb, weak and it felt like he hasn't been able to move in ages.

"M-Minato!"

_Who's calling my name?_

He could hear a man's voice saying mumbling his name. A hazy vision wasn't helping at all. But he could feel that he is resting comfortably on a bed.

"Lord God, this is too good to be true. Y-You're awake. Guards! Call the doctor!"

_Doctor?_ Minato wondered.

After a few seconds or so, things were starting to become clearer. His vision was no longer that hazy. The faint white light came from the ceiling.

Everything was white. The ceiling. The lights. The walls. And … the doctors in uniforms.

"How is he, doc? Has he fully recovered?"

Minato tilted his head to the direction of the call. It was agonising to turn. His neck felt so stiff, like it was an immovable metal rod. He could barely hear their murmuring voices. Although he was able to make out a few words or so, Minato felt like he still needed to work on his auditory senses.

"… Minato-sama needs time to rest." says the doctor. "His vital signs are slowly recovering, which is good."

He then saw their faces. Faces of a doctor and some red-haired man whom he barely even recognised but somehow looked familiar.

The door slammed shut after the doctor left.

"I can't believe this. After all these years, you're finally awake!"

"Wh-Who are you?" Minato asked, his voice rough.

"As expected, you won't recognise me."

A red-haired man grabbed a chair from behind him and sat beside him.

Minato looked around and found all sorts of medical apparatus attached all over his body. Dextroses, heart monitors and a ventilator on his mouth.

The man continued.

"It's me, Uzumaki Nagato. Your brother-in-law. Do you still remember?"

"N-Nagato?"

_No. No way._ The last time he saw him, Nagato was still a teenager after Minato married Kushina. This grown-up man here can't be Nagato. He's way too old. Those red bangs on his face used to be shorter. No one grows up that quickly. Did he time travel or something?

"Yes. It's me, Minato-san." Nagato said. "Tell me, do you remember anything at all?"

Minato remained silent. Where in the world is he? Is this some sort of parallel dimension?

"Kushina… Naruto… Where are they? Where's my wife… and our baby?" his voice was weak and hoarse.

Nagato looked at him with concern. His eyes displaying signs of sorrow, loss and grief. What was his deal anyway? Nagato took in a deep breath before calmly explaining.

"Minato-san, this might be hard for you to hear."

_Oh no. What happened?_ Minato began to panic.

"Do you recall the last time you saw Kushina?" Nagato asked. "Or your son?"

Minato tried to remember. His wife cooked and served ramen everytime he'd come home from work. He remembered the exact moment that his son was born, how he held the new-born Naruto gently in his arms. But no, those events took place way before the last time he saw them.

"Does the **Kyuubi Kitsune Airlines** ring a bell?" Nagato inquired.

_Of course_. Days after Kushina gave birth, he decided to migrate with her to Uzu where the rest of her family members were. They were on board a plane. The three of them.

Him. Kushina. New-born Naruto.

An explosion, Minato recalled suddenly.

"No… No…. Nonono." the Namikaze began to tremble.

_The plane crashed._ The plane that they were on.

"Calm down. Please. Calm down, Minato-san." Nagato rushed to his side to aid him.

Flashbacks began flooding through his memory gates. Minato could remember holding baby Naruto tightly in his arms as Kushina braced herself for the impact that was sure to head their way. He recalled the promise that he made to his wife, that he will protect their baby no matter what the cost. And after that, he could no longer remember what happened.

His mind went blank.

"Th-the plane … it crashed." Minato muttered.

"Yes. And the crash," Nagato began. "The Kyuubi Kitsune Airlines crashed seventeen years ago."

_Seventeen years ago?!_

"What … What do you mean?"

"You were in comatose for almost seventeen years, Minato." Nagato revealed. "You were the only one who survived the plane crash."

For seventeen years, he had been lying down this same bed. For seventeen years, he had failed his promise to Kushina. Seventeen wasted years, Minato Namikaze had been sleeping. In comatose. Right here. Doing nothing literally.

"I'm sorry." the red-head apologised.

Minato was too shocked to say something. Yesterday felt like a terrible nightmare. The plane crash. Losing his wife, his child, people that meant the world to him.

"You suffered brain injuries and major burns all over your body when the investigators found you. Luckily, your heart was still beating. So they rushed you to the hospital immediately, hoping that you'd somehow manage to survive." Nagato explained. "And you did."

"I … I shouldn't have. I should've … died."

"Minato-san, don't say that."

"My wife… My child… Gone." A tear trickled down Minato's cheek. He was breathing faster through his oxygen mask, made evident by the fog that formed on it.

"I took care of the business while you were away. They voted me CEO of **Namikaze Corporation**, a few years after I got my Bachelor's Degree." Nagato turned to his side and drank a water bottle before continuing. "I'm not such a good businessman myself. As a result, our rivalling companies such as the **Uchiha Corporation** and the **Hyuga Enterprises** took the lead in global marketing. I — I failed you, Minato-san. Sorry."

But Minato wasn't listening to Nagato's rant about his company at all. The company didn't matter. What mattered was the fucked up situation that he is currently in. His mind was solely focused on the mind-blowing and heartbreaking events that had occurred.

"Minato-san, are you listening?"

"…"

It's all too much. Too much to handle. All the sudden revelations about how he had spent almost half of his life in bed as a result of comatose were just too much to handle mentally.

And before he knew, Minato fell asleep.

* * *

_Ten._

_Nine._

_Eight._

Eight seconds left until the game is over. And Konoha Senior High's Basketball Team was on a tie with Suna Senior High, both teams scoring sixty-eight points.

The ball was with Naruto. He skilfully dribbled it as he performed manoeuvred himself to the right before dashing to the left in order to avoid the stealing opponents.

"Na-ru-to! Na-ru-to! GO GO Na-ru-to!"

He passes the ball to Konohamaru Sarutobi, who knew exactly what he was planning to do.

_Darn that stupid fag without eyebrows_. Naruto silently cursed. Gaara of Sunagakure High was the top team player of Suna's team. The eyebrow-less dude had been pretty good when it comes to defence and Naruto could barely get pass him no matter how many times he tried to _fake_ his shooting or confuse him.

"Konohamaru! Here!" Inuzuka Kiba waved.

_Seven._

_Six._

_Five._

Naruto ran towards the spot near the ring. It's time execute the end game. There's not much time.

_Four._

_Three._

_Two._

"Here, Naruto!"

Kiba passed the ball to Naruto, whose hands almost slipped the ball due to Gaara's attempt to steal it. But he succeeded in catching it. With a smug look on his face, Naruto's cerulean blue eyes shone with a ray of hope and victory.

He dribbled the ball one more time before finding the right momentum to execute his final move for the game.

Like an eagle soaring up high in the air.

_One_.

Naruto performed a slam dunk.

**Scoreboard:**_ Konoha — 70 / Suna — 68_

"And the winner of the semi-finals is… **Konoha Senior High School Basketball Team**!" the announcer declared

And the crowd erupted into cheers.

"The **MVP** of the tonight's game: Uzumaki Naruto."

"WE LOVE YOU NARUTO-KUN!" The cheerleaders cheered for him.

The students who watched Naruto play, who barrack for him like he was their superstar, are the same ones who'd cut their eyes and misjudge him moments after he'd walk away after the game. Naruto was shunned by boys while secretly adored by girls in the campus.

"Good job team." Coach Might Guy praised his team. "We all played youthfully tonight! Especially you, Naruto!" he did his _awesome-guy-pose_ towards the blonde after patting his back.

The Uzumaki held the trophy as the whole team took a photo at the middle of the basketball gym. Those who cheered for him and patted his arse at his victory, are just the same people who'd turn their backs away from him once the game is done. Naruto is aware of these fake people.

But it didn't matter.

They won the game anyways.

* * *

Minato stared at the wall in front of him glumly. The nurse was feeding him dinner but despite getting served with fried rice, which was his favourite dish, it still felt wrong to eat after hearing the events.

"Let's see what's on TV tonight." the nurse said cheerfully and turned on the television.

It's been _years_ since Minato last saw something on television. Everything has changed a lot already. The TV screens are now on something that they'd call "HD" or "High-definition". Technology stuff.

**Newscaster: **_"And for tonight's Sports News, here's a preview of the match between Konoha and Suna Senior High Basketball teams."_

Minato glanced up the TV screen and saw a blonde boy dribble the ball skilfully before passing it to his teammate. The nurse fed him a spoonful of fried rice. He ate it tediously as he continued observing the blonde basketball player.

_If Naruto had been alive…_ He imagined. _He'd probably look like him_.

The ball got passed back to the blonde boy who performed a slam-dunk right before the time was up.

**Newscaster: **_"The winner is… Konoha Senior High School. Scoring two points above Suna SHS. The MVP of the game is —"_

Suddenly, door to his room opened.

Nagato entered the room before Minato had the chance to hear who the MVP of the game was, but trivial things didn't matter to him anyways. He ordered the nurse to turn the TV off and leave him for now with Nagato.

"Feeling much better now?" the red-head asked.

"Still breathing." Minato answered.

"Minato-san, there's something else that you need to know as well."

"If this is another bad news, then I'm sorry but I'd wish not to hear it for now."

"No. It's important." Nagato insisted. "I know that you must still be in … shock. Considering the events that happened. But you need to hear this."

Minato looked at Nagato with his sharp blue eyes. Eyes that were once full of hope and liveliness, but now plagued with anguish and depression of losing his family.

"When we searched the plane and the place around it after the crash, we found out something."

"Just tell me, Nagato. Quit hiding around the bush."

Nagato sighed.

"We didn't find your son's body."


	4. Chapter 4 : Study Date?

**Beginning Song:** _"You and Me"_ by Lighthouse

**Ending Song:** _"Never Be The Same" by Red_

* * *

**Chapter Four**

**Study Date?**

Maths Class.

Another day in hell.

But Naruto wasn't freaking out as much as he was yesterday. As he walked along the hall ways, girls silently giggled at him and guys stepped out of his way. He was now _Mr. Popular_ for being MVP of last night's game.

He entered the class and was greeted by a few of his classmates.

"Nice game yesterday, Naruto." Shikamaru said.

"Thanks." Naruto replied as he slouched down his seat at the back row. He glanced at the right but Hinata wasn't there yet.

"I bet you banged prostitutes for free last night?" Inuzuka Kiba, one of his basketball teammates added. "Or did your old man steal yo' girls?"

Naruto shot him a daunting glare.

He was well aware of Kiba's jealousy when it comes to his talents. The Inuzuka had long been envious that Naruto always got to be chosen as the MVP star of the team because he never got a chance to.

"Jesus, Kiba. Cut him some slack." Shikamaru reprimanded him. "So troublesome."

Moments later, Iruka-sensei finally arrived. And to Naruto's disappointment, his sensei had to ask students to come up to the board one by one and struggle through trig problems in front of the whole class. Public humiliation. Something that the blonde hadn't prepared for.

The door to the class suddenly opened.

"S-Sorry I'm l-late, Iruka-sensei."

Hinata Hyuga entered the room, panting as if she ran a ten-mile marathon just then. As usual, she wore no make-up on her face. Just the plain and simple look.

She strode towards her seat beside Naruto at the back row, not batting an eye on the blonde whilst she placed her bag on the floor and sat.

"I'll call your names alphabetically. And when it's your turn, come up to the board and answer your given problem." Iruka announced.

Naruto worried about his turn. _Uzumaki_ was safely stationed at the end of the alphabetical order, but time sure flies by so quickly. His turn was after Sakura.

He glanced to his right. Hinata was paying attention attentively, patiently waiting for her turn. But then again, she could probably solve all those equations without a problem. She got 100% on yesterday's pop quiz.

_A nerd_. Naruto thought.

But still, he wanted to confront her so badly about what she did yesterday.

Ask her why she _fixed_ his answers.

Naruto stared at her, hoping that Hinata would feel the weight of his eyes and turn towards him. But the Hyuga didn't. He felt like a freak for looking at her like he wanted to devour her flesh and turned back to the front of the class with a deep sigh.

Hinata finished her equation in seconds during her turn, earning her envy from a couple of girls in class.

"Lesbo got it right." Ino whispered.

Naruto heard her and pretended to _"accidentally"_ kick the Yamanaka's chair. It wasn't right to bully Hinata. She looked so innocent and harmless, only to be called a lesbian by this bitch.

"What was that for?" Ino snapped at him.

He shrugged and apologised, saying he didn't mean to kick it. Although he really did. After a few more minutes, his judgement time finally came.

"Uzumaki Naruto. Your turn."

_Shit._

He snapped his eyes towards Iruka, surprised at how sweat easily trickled down his neck after hearing his name called.

"What, sensei?" the blonde calmly spoke.

"Do you care to solve the next triangle?"

"Nah. Not really."

It earned him a giggle from a couple of other girls in class, but Iruka furrowed his eyebrows and flashed him a scowl.

"Humour me, Uzumaki. Come solve for the missing side." Iruka gestured him to come forward and solve the problem on the board.

A triangle.

How could something like this shape be so intimidating? Naruto stared at the three-sided polygon in front of him. He looked at the shape as if it metamorphosed into some freaky three-eyed monster.

But as he walked towards the front of the class, he heard Hinata whisper.

"L-Look at the p-previous t-triangle. J-Just use the same formula and y-you'll get it, N-Naruto-kun." the Hyuga muttered under her breath.

_Why is she helping me again?_ Naruto thought.

_And what's with the stuttering habit?_

"We ain't got all day, Naruto. You managed to solve this problem on yesterday's pop quiz." Iruka hissed.

No he didn't.

Hinata changed his answers.

With a sigh, Naruto followed her advice and shifted his gaze at the triangle beside his. Haruno Sakura had gotten the correct answer to her triangle. But she was given completely different angles and numbers.

_I can't do this shit_.

Then, Naruto could hear a couple of guys snickering in the front row. Inuzuka Kiba hasn't finished humiliating him and snorted from his seat.

"I guess the most advanced maths that Naruto's capable of is reading a scoreboard." Kiba shouted.

Half the class laughed.

Naruto ignored them. But Kiba continued.

"Maybe I should call the cheerleaders and ask them to line up. You can count them one by one to help you solve that problem."

He finally snapped.

"Keep that up and you'll see what else I'm capable of." Naruto retorted, snarling at the Inuzuka.

The class did that stupid _OOOH_ thing that marked a start of a fight or whenever someone gets sent to the principal's office. He placed his chalk against the board, his hands shaking in fury.

"Knock it off, both of you." Iruka flared in irritation.

Naruto glanced up at the wall clock above him. All he had to do now is just take his time. Just a few more seconds and it'll be over. He was trembling in rage. God he wanted to punch Kiba so hard in the face right now. Hell, he'd punch everything.

_Riiiiing_!

* * *

The end-of-session-bell rang, much to his luck.

Immediately, he went back to get his backpack at the back row and stormed out of the classroom, not batting an eye on everyone that he bumped across the hallways. He just had to get humiliated in front of everyone else. Fuck Kiba and that mouth of his.

Suddenly, a hand gently tapped his shoulder.

"N-Naruto-kun, are y-you okay?"

He stopped and turned around. Hinata Hyuga stood there in front of him, her bag hanging over one shoulder. He hadn't noticed that she ran after him when he bolted out of the class.

"YOU." Naruto suddenly cornered her against the lockers.

Hinata was ten inches shorter than him. He gazed down on her, like a wild animal that was about to feast upon his prey. She clutched her bag protectively against her chest. Naruto placed a hand against the locker beside her head and leaned in.

Their faces close to each other.

"Why the hell did you change my answers? The fuck did you do?" he gritted his teeth, whispering.

"N-Naruto-kun, I—I th-thought that y-you needed h-help. I was just t-trying to—"

"Now look what you did. Iruka-sensei expects me to perform well in maths to keep my grades up. And I just got humiliated in front of everyone a while ago."

Hinata's face was now redder, hot and flushed. His cerulean blue eyes met hers and he stared at her like there was no tomorrow. Then, Naruto realised that a couple of students were already staring at them.

_Do I look like I'm bullying her?_

Naruto snatched his hands away from her. Distancing himself further. Well now he looked like her rapist.

"Sorry." the blonde said. It was too late before he realised that she was already trembling. Scared of his intimidating approach towards her.

"I owe m-my life to y-you." Hinata muttered. "It w-was the only w-way that I c-could repay you."

"You don't have to cheat because of me. You don't owe me anything at all, Hinata-chan."

An awkward silence followed.

Naruto studied her face. Her white skin complexion. No freckles, just soft clear skin. Her eyes white, innocent and intelligent. Smooth, dark blue hair fell down along her shoulders, untied and hanging freely. Being a nerd in school has its pros and cons. It's true that you'd get less attention. And that's the good part as well. People are quick to notice your weaknesses, especially if you're famous.

Maybe she wanted to look simple on purpose. To attract less attention.

"Sorry for being a dick." Naruto beamed a smile.

"I— I can h-help you, Naruto-kun."

"What do you mean?"

"I c-can help you with m-maths." Hinata offered.

"You don't have to. People have tried. I'm just a complete failure, alright? No one can help me."

"S-Still, I want to t-try."

It's hopeless. Old man Jiraiya had tried a long time ago back when he was still in primary school. But things have been different since he entered high school. Things have become more complicated. From then on, he knew that kindness wasn't in human nature. Humans are meant to be cruel and he learnt that the hard way everytime he was bullied in school.

"Forget it." he dismissed her.

Naruto walked away from her.

_Wait. What the hell am I doing?_ Naruto thought. But Hinata had somehow proven him wrong. She has been so kind to him since the very beginning. There's just something about her. Something which compelled his inner demons to conceal his tough-guy act and cower down with her gentleness.

"Wait, Hinata-chan!" he turned around to see her walk the other way.

Naruto grabbed her arm before she could leave. She turned towards him and met his gaze.

"N-Naruto-kun?"

He sighed. "I accept your offer. If… it still stands."

With bright red cheeks, she nodded at once.

"Lunch time. Library. Okay? I'll see ya' there."

* * *

It had been quiet a day for Minato. Seeing old friends, new faces. Time has changed the way they looked. Time changed everything. Old friends came to greet him and wished him well. But his world was still a lonely, empty space.

"Nagato." he called for his in-law.

"Yes, Minato-san?"

Nagato sat on the other side of the room, scanning through his cell phone, answering business text messages and replying at them all.

"My son. Any leads on him?"

"I'm afraid not." he stopped texting and turned to Minato. "It's been seventeen years since the search for Naruto began. But we found no trace of him or whatsoever."

"Someone must've found him. Someone found him after the crash. I must go to the site of the crash myself. I should —" he concluded.

"Minato-san, please." Nagato interrupted. "The investigators are doing their best. The crash happened a long time ago. There's nothing there now if you go there."

"Are they still searching for him?"

"Yes."

It's been so long. Nagato had once given up on searching for his nephew, but he had hope. Hope that his brother-in-law will wake up one day and be reunited with his son. He didn't want to think that his sister died for nothing. Kushina Uzumaki didn't die for nothing.

"Don't lose hope, Minato-san. We will find Naruto." Nagato assured him.

Minato let out a sigh of relief. But deep inside, he's cursing himself for being disabled. His body is still recovering from the coma, his legs weak and numb, unable to walk.

_Knock, knock._

The door to the room opened up.

"Greetings."

A man with white hair and a scar on his left eye entered. His mouth was also covered with cloth. He stood tall before Nagato and Minato, bowing his head then lifting his gaze towards them.

"Minato-san, this man here is Hatake Kakashi." Nagato introduced him. "Kakashi, this is Namikaze Minato."

"Yo. Good morning, Minato-sama." Kakashi greeted.

"He will be your body guard during my absence. I'll be attending important business conferences in Konoha. I hope you understand, Minato-san." Nagato explained.

"Of course, Nagato. But please… inform me for any news about my son."

With a courteous nod, he left Minato in Kakashi's hands.

* * *

Naruto continued munching through his Snickers chocolate bar, ignoring the rules inside the library. They aren't allowed to eat inside, but he was bored and Hinata hasn't showed up yet.

A couple of students stared at him as he ate his food.

He glared back at them.

_That's right. Back off._ Naruto grinned.

He grabbed his phone from his pockets and checked the time. Lunch time will soon end in ten minutes. Maybe Hinata was just busy. He fidgeted as he ate the second half of the Snickers bar.

_Or maybe she forgot_. Naruto thought.

Maybe she was just joking.

Why would she help someone like him?

He could imagine Sakura saying it. _"OMG Naruto, you think that I'll really help a jerk like you?"_

But Hinata isn't like Sakura. Maybe.

Naruto sighed as he snatched his maths book from the table in front of him and shoved the book back to his backpack. It's too late now. Lunch would be over in a few minutes.

He left the library and decided to walk down the hallways to wait for Hinata. Maybe if she happens to pass by, he could just brush her off and make it seem like he dumped her. _Wait, that would be mean._

"Naruto!"

Shikamaru ran towards him.

"Wassup?" the blonde asked.

"Did Sakura invite you to the party next week?"

"Yeah. You?"

"Troublesome. I've got no way to get there."

Shikamaru had been a close friend of his since they met each other during freshmen year. Despite the fact that the Nara was friends with the dickhead Inuzuka, Shikamaru wasn't a bully. He was the chill and laid-back type of guy with an easy-going personality.

"Need a ride?" Naruto offered.

"Yeah. Choji and I." Shikamaru picked his nose.

"Just text me your address and I'll pick you guys up."

"Thanks, buddy. Gotta go. Got Asuma-sensei next." the Nara patted his shoulder and ran off to his class.

Naruto continued walking down the hallways alone. Half the school's halls were empty, as expected. Students were already in their respective classes. But as he passed by the gym, Naruto heard arguing voices coming from the inside.

_Was that Hinata's voice?_

He peered inside and he wasn't wrong.

Hinata was in the middle of a heated argument with another girl. But when he stepped inside the gym, their arguing halted.

"N-Naruto-kun?" Hinata saw him.

"Oh my gosh, is it him? The MVP of last night's game?"

The girl who was arguing with Hinata just then rushed towards him, dragging Hinata along with her.

"You didn't go." Naruto said, trying not to sound like he felt bad that she didn't show up.

"I was b-busy. I'm so s-sorry. I didn't mean to —"

"Hi." the girl beside her said. "I'm Hanabi Hyuga. Her sister." she offered to shake Naruto's hand. Hanabi turned to Hinata and whispered. _"Why didn't you tell me you know him? He's so hot OMG."_

"Naruto Uzumaki." he took her hand and shook it.

"Sorry if my sister missed her date with you. She was busy helping me try-out for the Women's Basketball League."

Hanabi continued shaking his hand, not letting go. Unlike Hinata, she was much more upfront and less shy. She didn't have that stuttering habit but she was more straightforward.

_Date?_ Naruto's eyebrow raised._ What?_

"D-Date? NO Hanabi. It's n-not like that." Hinata said.

"Oh really? I thought you finally have a boyfriend, Hinata nee-chan." Hanabi teased.

He looked at Hinata and saw her face turned pink. She was hyperventilating once more. Naruto met her gaze but she looked away. What's wrong with her? Geez.

"Anyways, I gotta go to class. I'll see you at home, nee-chan." Hanabi Hyuga bid her sister goodbye and whispered something at her before she left for class, something that made Hinata blush. She shot Naruto a seductive wink as she left the gym.

Naruto was now left with Hinata. Just the two of them, alone in the gym. He fidgeted around, waiting for her to say something. But as usual, the shy Hinata isn't always the conversation-starter type.

"So, what now?" he asked.

"S-Sorry for n-not showing up." Hinata apologised.

He sighed. "It's alright. No one can help me anyways."

"W-We can do it. After c-classes maybe?" She lifted her gaze towards him. Her lips twisted into a shy smile as she flicked her bangs away from her eye.

"Oh. Okay." then, he suddenly had an idea. "Yeah that'll be great, Hinata-chan. I'll drop you off at your house after our… study session."

He hated the word _studying_. A synonym of the two words put together "students dying". And most of all, she was going to tutor her about trigonometry.

_Maths_ = Mental Abuse To Highschool Students. It goes something like that, he remembered. That's what he'd seen on Facebook recently.

"Wh-Where do you w-want to study, Naruto-kun?"

"Just meet me here after your last session. I'll take us somewhere else." he said.

_A study date?_ Naruto thought at once. The _"somewhere else" _part just slipped out of his tongue. He meant to say _"library"_ but other words came out. He hadn't even considered thinking of Hinata as a girlfriend material. But who knows? _I don't know_. Maybe not now. She looks so innocent and easily stutters.

Right. The stuttering problem.

"And Hinata-chan?" he interrupted.

"Y-Yes, Naruto-kun?"

"Don't stutter once you tutor me, alright?"

He winked at her before leaving for his next class. He didn't turn around to see her reaction. But deep inside, Naruto knew that she might be just the only person who can help him sort himself out right.


	5. Chapter 5: Their First Study Session

**Beginning Song:** _"You and Me"_ by Lighthouse

**Ending Song:** _"Never Be The Same" by Red_

* * *

**Chapter Five**

**Their First Study Session**

Last period. Literature class.

It was tedious to listen to someone who was teaching stuff that she already knew. Hinata was homeschooled. As a result, she already knew about things that are far more advanced than other students who are on the same year as her. Her father had been strict when it comes to her education and because of that, she grew up under his rigorous academic training resulting in her vast knowledge about academics.

Hinata quickly checked the time on her phone.

_I'm late. Oh no._

Unbelievable. Hinata couldn't believe herself. She had the courage to strike a deal with Uzumaki Naruto and he actually agreed to let her help him. Hinata had never gone out with boys before except with her cousins during a family event.

_Hinata, calm down. This isn't a date._ She reminded herself.

After her classes ended, she quickly bolted out of the classroom and headed towards the gym where she was supposed to meet up with the Uzumaki.

"You're late." Naruto greeted her. "I thought you won't show up again this time."

He already stood in front of the gym. Backpack slung over one shoulder as he scanned her from tip-to-toe. His usual blonde fringe, hanging above his cerulean blue eyes — irresistible and sharp.

"S-Sorry, Naruto-kun."

"Let's go. Time's wastin'." his lips twisted into a smile.

Naruto offered her his hand.

_What is he doing?_

_Does he want me to take his hand?_

"Oh, I see. You don't need an escort?" he chuckled and withdrew his hand. "That's fine too."

Hinata could feel her cheeks burning. Her heart began racing faster for reasons she couldn't explain. Why does he keep doing this to her? Being near him always made her feel flustered but safe.

They walked side-by-side on the way to their destination. Naruto's pick. Students flooded the hallways since it was time to go home. Hinata almost lost sight of him but luckily, he grabbed her arm and pulled her closer to him before they got separated. The proximity of their bodies made her cheeks redder than ever. She could smell his scent now.

_He smells so nice._ Like a mixture of oranges and roses.

"This school's an overpopulated maze. Don't get lost, alright?" Naruto said to her amidst the noise of the crowds of students passing by them.

_He's holding my arm. Oh my god._ Hinata could feel the warmth of his hand as he gripped her arm firmly.

"C'mon. This way." he whispered before letting go of her arm.

"Wh-where are we going?"

Naruto was silent for now. But she followed him anyways. His personality had always intrigued her since their very first encounter. At times he'd be serious, but the next he'd be fooling around with his sense of humour.

"Hey Hinata-chan," he turned to her as they walked. "Have you been to the rooftops before?"

He pointed at the top of the tallest building in school. Hinata had never been there before, but she wasn't ignorant when it comes to heights. That building is nothing compared to her house to be honest.

"N-No. Why?" she answered.

"Then let's hustle. You've got things to see."

_Seriously? We are going to study up there?_

They walked up through the entrance of the building and were immediately welcomed by a very, very long flight of stairs leading up the rooftops.

"Hurry up. The elevator's not working." he said.

She tried to keep up with his pace but she couldn't. Naruto was taking the stairs two steps at a time, flying up one arm on the rail. Hinata wasn't an athlete like Naruto, so she endured her burning legs as she followed him up along the stairs.

_Seven floors high_. Hinata panted as she took one more step before reaching the final one.

"Look." Naruto opened the stairway door and stood on the surface of the rooftop ahead of her.

From above, the view of Konoha was fascinating. Intersections and traffic lights down the city were perfectly positioned in a grid. People walking on the streets and the cars travelling below them looked like tiny dots moving from one place to another.

"There's the shopping centre." Naruto pointed. "That one's the park and the museum. Over there's the place where I work." He shifted his gaze to Hinata. "The place where we first met."

"Y-Yes. I remember." She turned to face him as well. Her cheeks starting to turn red once more.

"What do you think of the view up here?"

"I th-think it's beautiful, Naruto-kun."

"But if you ask me, I don't think so."

"Wh-why?" Hinata's eyebrows raised, surprised of his unexpected comment.

"Everything's more beautiful up close."

"R-Really, Naruto-kun?"

"Yeah. Beautiful. Just like you, Hinata-chan." His voice dropped an octave and was strangely gentle and intimate.

_Wait. What did he just say?_

Her heart began pounding like a jackhammer.

Naruto was eyeing her intently. Eyes are the windows to one's soul, as they say. And Hinata's gaze met his own. She could feel the weight of his cerulean-blue eyes staring at her, reaching the inner depths of her soul through the five-second eye contact.

"Well," he cleared his throat. "Let's get to the _studying_ part shall we? What's in your lesson plan for me today, Hinata-_sensei_ ?"

Hinata snapped out of her thoughts. Thoughts about what Naruto just said to her a while ago. Was he subtly flirting with her?

"I'm — I'm n-not your sensei."

"Well you are now." Naruto chuckled.

He teasingly poked her shoulder, making her shiver.

The Uzumaki gestured her to sit on the floor beside him, their backs leaning against the wall of the small room with the door towards the stairway below. They both got their Maths books out and Hinata began by asking him questions about the things that he wasn't clear about. Naruto said he wasn't clear about **everything** at all, much to her dismay.

Looks like she needed to start from trigonometry basics with him.

_How in the world did this guy pass maths last year?_

* * *

The traffic wasn't so busy. Jiraiya was able to come home earlier than usual after getting re-hired by his boss at work. He hadn't made a move yet on taking his relationship with Tsunade up to the next level, but he was now damn sure that they're definitely official.

He parked his Mitsubishi pick-up drive in front of the apartment, close to the kerb. After getting down from the car, he proceeded to check for any mail in his letterbox.

"Crap. Crap. More crap." Jiraiya checked his mail. "I guess the only useful thing here is **Konoha Daily**." he muttered, picking up the newspaper.

He unrolled the newspaper to flip it open.

_Could it be—_ A familiar face was on the headlines.

* * *

_News Headlines:_

**ORIGINAL CEO OF NAMIKAZE CORPORATION, FINALLY AWAKENED FROM COMATOSE AFTER 17 YEARS**

* * *

That blonde hair and those sharp blue eyes, Jiraiya could definitely remember him from a long time ago. How could he forget a face? Especially the face of the person who changed his life and gave him a responsibility to take care of a child?

Old times.

Back where it all began in a plane crash.

Back when Jiraiya still worked as an **undercover agent **seventeen years ago. Back when he was assigned on a top secret mission to find out the person responsible for the assassination attempts on the Namikaze's life. Back when he found Naruto.

The past didn't matter now. What mattered now was Naruto's safety.

But Naruto must not know.

That he is the son of Namikaze Minato, CEO of the Namikaze Corporation.

* * *

Hinata spent the first ten minutes of their time, explaining the basic concepts of trig to the blonde Uzumaki.

Often times, she'd see him steal glances at her from the corner of her eye, but she'd dismiss them as his way of paying full attention to her. Although she couldn't help it. The way he looked at her sent chills down her spine, making her face turn into a red tomato.

"Always r-remember t-that SOH-CAH-TOA is only applicable t-to right angled—"

Suddenly, Naruto's stomach grumbled.

She flinched the moment she heard his stomach growl. It was quiet loud to be honest. She looked at Naruto, who seemed to be a bit embarrassed of his craving stomach. Luckily, Hinata remembered bringing along with her some sushi that she herself made last night. She never expected that having an unfinished sushi from lunch this afternoon would later come in handy.

"I have s-sushi here, Naruto-kun. You can h-have them." she said while puling her bag on the floor towards her and searching it for the sushi.

"Oh no, you don't have to Hinata-chan. I'm not that hungry ya' know. I'm fine."

"Y-You can't learn with an empty stomach, Naruto-kun." she offered. "H-Here."

"I'm fine. I really am. You shouldn't bother —"

Another grumble.

She blushed and silently giggled. Naruto was clearly hungry, Hinata noticed the obvious. The delicious smell of sushi filled the atmosphere after she opened her lunch box before handing it out to the blonde Uzumaki.

"Alright. Alright. You win, Hinata-chan." he finally admitted. "But don't laugh at me, ya' know."

Her phone suddenly chimed.

A text message. _From Hanabi?_

** Nee-chan, where are you?**

She quickly typed back, swiping her hand across the letters on her iPhone 6 plus.

** I'm still in school.**

Hanabi was quick to reply.

** Dating Naruto-senpai? 3**

_Seriously?_ Hinata blushed at her sister's text. Was she actually on a "date" right now? She glanced up to see the blonde Uzumaki busily eating her sushi like a hungry wild animal. Naruto was starving.

_That's 'really' attractive._ She thought.

"Sushi's so good, 'Nata-chan." Naruto's cheeks puffed, full of sushi whilst he spoke to her.

"Th-Thank you, Naruto-kun."

"You made these?" he swallowed the food.

"Y-Yes. I made those sushis this m-morning." she beamed him a smile before proceeding to reply to Hanabi's text once more.

But Hanabi sent her another text message quickly before she got a chance to reply.

** Have you told him about my offer?**

_Oh. That. _Hinata suddenly remembered what their argument about during lunch time was.

Again. Another message from Hanabi.

_My god, she texts really fast. _She sighed.

** Father wants you home right now. You better end your date and ask him to give you a lift home.**

Damn Hanabi and her bazillion text messages.

She let out a deep sigh.

"What's wrong?" the blonde wondered.

Naruto was looking at her with eyebrows raised, still munching the last piece of sushi from her lunch box. He looked so cute with that small piece of sushi rice sitting on his nose. Looks like he didn't notice it at all. Hinata laughed and pointed at the morsel of rice on his nose.

"Th-There's rice on y-your nose, Naruto-kun."

He lifted his hands and slapped the rice from his nose off of him before giving her a wide grin.

"Wow," Naruto burped. "I'm really full to be honest. You're a really great cook, Hinata-chan. I kinda' wish you'd prepare my lunch everyday."

No one outside her family had complimented her cooking skills before. Cooking was Hinata's hobby outside of school. If Naruto was good in basketball, her passion was in the kitchen. She could feel her face flush at the blonde's comment.

"Hold still," Naruto reached out. "There are tiny leaves stuck on your hair."

Her heart skipped a beat.

Naruto picked two leaves free and then used both his hands to work loose another one that had gotten trapped in the middle of her bangs on her forehead. For a moment, she could feel his hands touch the surface of her forehead as he tried to get the leaf off of her hair.

"There. All gone now." he gave her a gentle pinch on her cheek after he fixed her bangs.

_He pinched my cheek! _

"Th-Thank you, N-Naruto-kun." her face turned pink.

"Anything for you." the blonde chuckled.

She liked Naruto. A lot. She really, really, really liked him. It's not because of his looks alone, but his personality had intrigued her so much. He can be a charismatic gentleman and be an irritating idiot at the same time. But she loved both sides of him.

"I — I'm afraid that I have t-to go home now."

"Need a lift?"

He offered with a gentle smile.


	6. Chapter 6 : Jealous Much?

**Beginning Song:** _"You and Me"_ by Lighthouse

**Ending Song:** _"Never Be The Same" by Red_

* * *

**Chapter Six**

**Jealous Much?**

After dinner that night, Hinata sat on her bedspread doing her homework while her sister was painting her nails in front of her mirror.

Hanabi had her nails painted with an unflattering shade of purple. The whole room was well lit and she could clearly see her sister checking herself out in the mirror while trying out some of her clothes to match her nails.

But she couldn't stop thinking of the events this afternoon. Of this blonde boy to be specific. Hinata couldn't stop thinking of Uzumaki Naruto, who always made her heart skip a beat whenever she thought of him.

She couldn't stop thinking about how she had changed his answers during the quiz the other day and how she tutored him for maths this afternoon.

_God, I could've been caught. _What was she thinking, fixing someone's answers like that?

"Your hands look like they belong to a corpse." Hinata said to her sister.

Hanabi frowned and waved her hand in the air.

"I like it." she rolled her eyes. "Why don't _you_ paint your nails, nee-chan? This is like, the _good _stuff. Do you know how many girls are dying to get a hold of this kind of manicure? It's probably thirty bucks a bottle."

"You sound just like mother." Hinata went on with her homework after saying it.

"Sometimes I just can't believe that we're related."

Hinata examined her own nails, short and unpolished.

Sometimes, she couldn't believe it either. Her mother and Hanabi lived in labels, the kind splashed all over fashion magazines. Guess, Vogue, Dolce and Gabbana — you name them all.

Heck, she couldn't even tell the difference between Gucci and Levis.

_Gucci or Levis. Does it even matter what brand?_

Her sister thought of her fashion sense as sacrilege. Even though Hanabi wasn't as talented as her in school or in the kitchen, her sister was the only girl who wouldn't call her a _lesbian_ or a _faggot_ for her un-girly fashion taste.

"You know, you should take more interest in what mother gives you, nee-chan." Hanabi said. "All she does is give me the _hand-me-downs_ from you. She never even buys me the things that I like because she says I can just have _yours_ once you outgrow your clothes. Isn't that pathetic for someone rich?"

"You can have them all, Hanabi. I'm not really _in_ to the things that you and mother agree on."

"One day, you're going to wake up and realise that you missed your _prime years_."

"My '_prime years' _? " Hinata lifted her gaze up.

"You know, years when boys are supposed to drool over your body and woe you?" Hanabi explained.

Her sister's statement suddenly made her think of Naruto. Hinata saw him checking out Sakura and Ino this morning during maths, making her wonder what it is that the male species find so attractive about girls who wore miniskirts shorter than what the school permits.

"Speaking of boys, how was your date with Naruto-senpai? Do tell me."

"I told you, we're not dating. I'm tutoring him with maths." Hinata began to blush.

"Is that so?" her sister eyed her suspiciously.

"We're just friends, Hanabi. Nothing more."

"Have you told him about my offer?"

"No."

Hanabi waved her gothic nails around, showing them off to her sister. But Hinata was busy writing her homework, much to her disappointment.

"Nee-chan, I need a **basketball coach**. Like right now. The next try-outs are going to be next month. I can't be an expert in basketball in like, one day."

"Can't you just ask father to hire a private coach for you? I'm sure that you can pay someone else instead."

"No, I want Naruto-senpai to be my personal coach. Or are you jealous that your hot _boyfriend_ will be spending time with me instead?"

_Hot boyfriend?_ Hanabi you're a shipper.

She sighed. "Fine. I'll tell him. And for the last time, he's _not_ my boyfriend, Hanabi."

"I bet you wish he was."

She jerked her eyes on her sister, who glanced at her with a know-it-all grin on her face. After Hinata finished doing her homework, she got off from bed and headed off towards the door.

"Where are you going, nee-chan?" Hanabi asked.

"Going to cook my lunch for tomorrow."

She headed straight to the kitchen, which was apparently two floors downstairs. Her house was a four story mansion for god's sake. Hinata was greeted by a couple of their house servants along the way as she went downstairs.

_Oh yes, that's right. _She recalled.

Hinata proceeded to grab her lunchbox from the living room. She forgot to to take them upstairs with her. But when she opened the lunchbox, she found a sticky note stuck inside, with a familiar handwriting on it.

* * *

_The note says:_

**Call me when you need me ;)**

**— N**

* * *

Below the note was a **12-digit phone number**.

_Naruto-kun's?_ She realised.

It dawned on her that Naruto had stuck the note with his phone number inside her lunchbox while she was busy texting Hanabi this afternoon.

Hinata's face turned bright red, like a ripe tomato.

* * *

Naruto woke up the next morning to a roaring sound of a vacuum cleaner being used in the living room, much to his annoyance. His bedroom was situated next to where the noise came from and it sure irritated the shit out of him.

He glanced at the alarm clock next to him in bed.

6:00 in the morning.

_Who the hell cleans so early in the morning?_

Normally, he would wake up at 7:00 am in the morning to take a shower, have breakfast and waste half-an-hour on his phone, then he'd drive his way to school at 8:00 am to get there on time for class at 8:30 am.

Today seems unusually early.

After taking a shower, Naruto got out of his room and was greeted by Jiraiya who was still vacuuming the carpet in their living room.

"Why are you up so early?" Naruto asked, drying his hair off with a towel.

Jiraiya turned the vacuum cleaner off to face the blonde.

"Cleanin'."

"Yeah, I can see that. I'm not blind… or deaf." Naruto replied. "What's up with the whole cleaning thing? Are you aiming to get the Best Foster Parent of the Year Award?"

"Tsunade's visiting today."

"Your boss?"

"U-huh."

"Right. I can see where this is going."

"Naruto, it's not what you think it is."

The blonde strode to the next room, ignoring what his old man just said. His eyes roamed the kitchen, searching for something edible for breakfast. A basket of fruits lay on the table before him, stacked with apples, oranges and pomegranates. He went for the fridge and grabbed some fresh milk, drinking its contents from the milk carton itself.

"So, how is school?" Jiraiya followed him towards the kitchen and stood in front of him, with a hand resting on the kitchen counter.

"Same old." Naruto replied glumly after drinking half the contents of the milk carton.

"Look, Tsunade's going to help me with something, alright? Don't get the wrong idea."

"The _'naked'_ kind of help?"

"The '_financial' _ kind, moron." Jiraiya heaved a sigh. "Jesus Christ, you're just the same as everyone else."

"Financial?" Naruto raised an eyebrow.

"I've got to be honest with you, Naruto. We ain't got the money to pay for rent next month." the old man explained. "I invited my boss here for coffee. Hoping that I can convince her to give me a raise or an overtime."

"Guess who's to blame."

The blonde slouched on the chair in front of the dining table, pouring Weetbix into his bowl filled with milk and began stirring the cereal contents tediously.

Suddenly, his phone chimed. He dropped the spoon on his cereal bowl to pick read a text message on his phone.

_A text message this early?_

**Good morning Naruto-kun. I can't make it to lunch today. Maybe this recess?**

He didn't recognise the phone number, but Naruto definitely recognised the tone of the message. No one else in school is meeting him this lunch time besides Hyuga Hinata for his maths tutorial.

_She found my note._ Naruto's lips twisted into a smile.

"That your girlfriend texting you?" Jiraiya asked.

"No." Naruto said in a monotone voice without looking at his old man.

He texted back:

**Hey Hinata-chan =) You found my note.**

"You're smiling like an idiot." says Jiraiya. "Tell me about her. Did you ask her out? Is she hot?"

_Hot._ That word made Naruto think. Was she? He hasn't seen her wear other clothes aside from her school uniform. Perhaps the words "shy and innocent" would fit her. Yeah. Those words perfectly do. But yesterday, he couldn't help but gaze at her beautiful face up-close. Hinata was pretty indeed, hands down. He just wanted to get to know her more before making a move.

"I don't have a girlfriend. And no, I didn't ask her out." he answered. "She's just helping me."

"The _'naked'_ kind of help?" Jiraiya retorted.

_Damnit Jiraiya._ That was a good come-back. He used his own words against him.

"The _'educational' _ kind, pervert." Naruto sighed.

Naruto waited for a reply, but received none yet. He continued eating his breakfast while keeping an eye on his phone from time-to-time.

Jiraiya grabbed a beer from the fridge and sat on the chair opposite to Naruto's on the table. The blonde eyed his drink with ill contempt, wondering why he'd have beer so early in the morning.

"What's wrong?" Jiraiya asked.

"You can't have beer early in the morning. It's bad for your health."

"Since when were you particular about health."

His phone chimed. Another message.

**Yes. You snuck it in my lunch box yesterday.**

Naruto couldn't help but grin as he took in a mouthful of Weetbix into his mouth whilst his other hand typed up his text message.

He replied:

**I'm free this recess. Library. How's that?**

Hinata's response was quick this time.

**K.**

_Just "K"?_ He thought.

**See ya ;)**

No more reply.

* * *

Recess. Library.

And Hinata got their five minutes earlier.

She bolted out of her History class after the session was over to head to her appointment with Naruto. She didn't mind not having recess at all. What mattered was, she won't be again late this time. She won't have him waiting again.

Perfume? _Check._

Light face powder? _Check._

Hair okay? _Check._

Hinata checked herself out through the reflection from her phone. Last night, she thought about what her sister told her about her "_prime years _". Seriously? How did Hanabi know about those terminologies?

She sat on one corner of the library, placing her bag on the table in front of her, patiently waiting for the blonde to arrive.

Patiently waiting, she got her phone out and pretended to text someone to make her look less awkward.

_Maybe I should text him. Tell him that I'm here_?

Wait. No.

That would make her sound desperate.

Hinata shifted her eyes towards the other side of the library. Sakura, Ino and her horde of airhead imbeciles were giggling and teetering over something. Probably about boys, no doubt. She could spot Kiba and his misfit crew on the other table next to the girls, checking the ladies out.

"Hey." A familiar whisper on her ear. She could feel his warm breath on her skin as he softly spoke.

"EEEEEP!" She shrieked and jerked her head around in surprise.

Uzumaki Naruto stood behind her, his face _really_ close to hers when he whispered. His lips were just a few centimetres away from her own when she whipped her head around. Close call.

God, her cheeks were burning now.

Luckily, only a few people in the library heard her shriek. The old and wrinkly Librarian Chiyo flashed them warning glare, telling them to keep it down.

"Sorry." he apologised and turned away from her. Not giving away the expression on his eyes after the _close encounter_ of their lips.

"N-Naruto-kun! Y-You scared m-me."

Naruto grabbed the chair next to him. He positioned his chair next Hinata's so that they can sit side-by-side. Their elbows touching.

"You're early." he said as he sat down beside her.

"Y-Yes. We were out early f-for History class."

"So…" his words hung in the air.

"S-So?"

"How are you? I see you found my note this morning."

"F-Found it last night." Hinata corrected him. "I'm g-good, thanks for asking. H-How are you, Naruto-kun?"

They talked for a few more minutes, careful not to make their voices too loud.

After a while, Naruto placed an arm around the back of her chair while he rocked his own chair. She could smell his scent again. This time, he smelt like lemon and apple juice mixed together. It made him all the more desirable and … attractive?

"So, I just had English class. It was quiet hilarious you see." he said, his eyes staring on her own. "I had Asuma-sensei a while ago and we were supposed to read the book called the Moby Dick for homework."

"W-Why? What happened, N-Naruto-kun?" Hinata reciprocated his gaze, eyeing him with curiosity.

"I didn't do my homework. Wanna know why?"

She nodded.

"I told him I was intimidated by the "_length_" of Moby Dick." Naruto burst out laughing at his own joke.

Hinata didn't get the joke.

_What's the connection between_**_ Moby Dick_**_ and the _**_length _**_of its chapters?_

The purely innocent Hyuga forced herself to laugh at Naruto's joke despite not getting the meaning.

Half of their supposed study session was spent talking while only half for discussing Maths and doing some actual studying. _Procrastination._ Hinata wasn't used to procrastinating, but it seemed fun and all right with Naruto by her side. Some of his jokes were actually funny even though she didn't understand a few.

* * *

Haruno Sakura heard a familiar laughter somewhere at the other side of the library.

Naruto's laughter. Along with another girl's.

She took a quick glance at the blonde on the other side, only to be surprised at what she saw. Sakura nudged Ino with her elbow and called for the Yamanaka's attention.

"Ino-pig, are you seeing what I'm seeing?" the pinkette gestured towards the other side of the library.

"Oh my gosh. Is that Naruto hanging out with lesbo?" Ino covered her mouth in shock. "No wait, they're not just hanging out. They must be _dating_."

_Dating?!_ Sakura flared up. How could Naruto date another woman? The Uzumaki always had his eyes on her since the very beginning. And now he's flirting with this new lesbian nerd?

The pinkette stood up from her seat.

Ino followed her best friend.

"Forehead, what the hell are you up to?" the Yamanaka whispered as she walked beside Sakura.

"Eavesdropping."

"Is this what I think it is?"

"What?"

"You're… jealous?"

_Jealous?! Me?_ Why would she be jealous? She never liked Naruto. Ever. That blonde was annoying the fuck out of her, asking her out no matter how many times he had rejected his offers.

But seeing Naruto with another girl just brought toxic bile burning on her throat.

_Am I really jealous?_

"Shut up, Ino-pig. I'm not jealous." Sakura denied.

"Of course. You're just going to eavesdrop on their conversation or shall I say "stalk" them?" Ino whispered. "You're totes _not_ jealous at all."

Sakura and Ino darted from one bookshelf to the other, using the bookshelves for cover to prevent getting seen by the blonde and his suspicious _new girlfriend_. Like a lioness, possessive of her alpha male, Sakura got to the nearest bookshelf close to where Naruto and Hinata were. And she listened to their conversation.

Their conversation went like this:

"So you're saying that I just have to substitute this number on _x_ to solve the _y-axis_?" Naruto asked.

"Y-Yes, Naruto-kun. Simple as that."

"Wow. I feel so dumb now. How could I not get this before?" the blonde grinned, scratching his head. "You're so smart, Hinata-chan."

_They're talking about maths?_ Sakura caught up with the topic of their conversation. Looks like the two were just studying.

Right. Suspicious.

_But what's this?_

Naruto was looking at her in a very familiar way. The way that he once looked at Sakura when he used to stare at her longingly, daydreaming.

And lesbo was blushing. _What's with her stuttering?_

"Yeah. _Not_ jealous at all, Sakura. Not at all." the Yamanaka whispered from behind.

"Shut it."

She continued to listen to their conversation.

It was about Hinata asking Naruto if he could be her sister's personal coach for basketball. About her sister trying out for the Women's Basketball Team. And to her surprise, the blonde agreed to the offer.

"N-Naruto-kun," Hinata reached down for something from her bag. "I — I've got something for you."

_What's she giving him?_ Sakura eyed Hinata's gift, like a hawk who just spotted a prey.

"What's this?" Naruto received the gift. "Holy crap, Hinata-chan. I wasn't serious about it yesterday ya' know. You don't have to cook my lunch for me everyday."

_She's giving him lunch?! SHANAROOO! _The Haruno could feel herself flare up. That lesbian was flirting with her man. No, wait. This is Naruto that she's talking about. Why would she be jealous? _Oh fuck, am I really feeling jealous right now?_

"Y-You said you l-like my cooking, Naruto-kun. So I thought of y-you last night while p-preparing my lunch." Hinata replied gently, her cheeks red.

"Of course I love your cooking! Oh god, thanks a lot. Damn you're the best, Hinata-chan. And you take things seriously, too." Naruto chuckled. "I like that."

_WHAT?_ Sakura heard the word "like".

This is wrong. Definitely not the Naruto that she knew. The blonde Uzumaki would've grabbed her by now and start making out with that lesbian, but Naruto seems to be holding back. He's playing that _gentleman_ card.

"You know what," Ino began. "I think you like Naruto."

"No, I don't."

"You're jealous of her, Sakura. I can tell. You're my best friend and I know what I'm seeing." the Yamanaka explained. "Naruto always wanted you since the first time you two met. You're just jealous that you're no longer the only woman in his eyes now.

Sakura sighed before turning to face Ino-pig. Okay, she just slapped her face with the Truth that has been spoken.

"What do you propose?" she asked.

"I've got a plan." the Yamanaka muttered with a sadistic grin on her face.

* * *

**Author's Note:** Sakura's jealous? What's Ino's plan? Find out.

Don't forget to **Favourite **and **Follow **if you like it so far.

Reviews please :) Thank you and stay tuned.


	7. Chapter 7 : Basketball Coaching

**Beginning Song:** _"You and Me"_ by Lighthouse

**Ending Song:** _"Never Be The Same" by Red_

* * *

**Chapter Seven**

**Basketball Coaching**

Uzumaki Naruto dribbled the basketball a few times, running around the court as a warm-up before making an easy three-point shot. He was alone in the school gym, waiting for Hinata and her sister Hanabi to show up for Hanabi's first-ever basketball lesson with him as her personal coach.

Dribble.

Dribble.

Shoot.

Alley-Oop.

Moments later, he heard footsteps approaching the court. He stopped playing for a while and scanned the bleachers.

Hinata came, along with her sister.

"Hey." his voice echoed throughout the gym.

"Naruto-senpai!"

Seems like Hanabi was more excited to see him than Hinata herself. The younger Hyuga sprinted towards him, ready for her very first lesson.

He glanced up at Hinata who was sitting at the bleachers. She gave him a quick wave of her hand as a greeting before getting her Physics book from her bag and started reading.

"I can't believe you agreed to let you be my coach." Hanabi jumped up and down, like a five-year-old who got her favourite present on Christmas day.

"Anything for you, ladies." Naruto's gaze shifted to Hanabi in front of him. "So, Hanabi. Show me what you got."

"Is that a challenge?"

"Uhuh. You VS Me. I'm gonna have to assess your skills before we begin with the actual lessons."

"Well, don't underestimate me. You might be the school's MVP but I won't hold back."

She was faster than Naruto had expected. Hanabi was nimble on her feet, quick and agile in dribbling. Unlike Hinata, she definitely possessed a more athletic facade, evident by her movements and swiftness.

_But her ball control sucked._

And she was a bad shooter too.

Despite Hanabi's speed, she wasn't faster than him. The only thing that was distracting the blonde Uzumaki was the ever-angelic Hinata Hyuga. Her immaculate thighs and damn sexy legs were an eye-snatcher as she sat on the bleachers along the sides with a graceful poise whilst reading her Physics book.

Hinata was blissfully unaware that his eyes were glued to her.

Talk about sexy nerds.

_Damnit, Naruto. Don't stare at her like that._ He cursed himself. To him, it was sinful to view Hinata as an object of sexual desire. She seemed so… innocent.

"Perhaps you could assess my skills better if you'd stop staring at my sister?"

He glanced back at Hanabi, who looked pissed off due to his lack of focus on their game.

"Sorry." Naruto apologised. _Can't help it. _"Honestly, I'm taking it easy on you because you're a sophomore… and a girl."

"That's sexist." she snorted.

"Focus on the game, will ya'?"

"Tell me, are you dating Hinata nee-chan?" Hanabi asked while dribbling the ball on one hand. "You two seem to spend an _awful _lot of time together during recess or lunch breaks."

"What's it to you?"

"My nee-chan never had a boyfriend before. Perhaps you should consider asking her out after —" but she was interrupted by him.

Naruto caught the ball, stealing it from the distracted Hyuga.

"HEY! No fair!" Hanabi squealed.

She ran after the ball to try and retrieve it from Naruto. But she was too late. The blonde Uzumaki had already positioned himself along the three point area.

He shot. Three points. Score.

"And that's how you play the game." he added.

"I'm never going to get in the women's team at this rate. I suck at this." Hanabi frowned.

"Hey, Hanabi-chan." Naruto approached her. "To never give up is my motto in life. You just gotta keep practicing, alright? I will help you to the best of my abilities and if you want to be my student, then you have to keep trying no matter what."

Naruto flashed Hanabi an encouraging smile. She reminded him of himself a long time ago when he first started learning basketball. He used to think that he was good-for-nothing until his old man inspired him to never stop trying. So he kept practicing and practicing until he became a total hot shot at the game.

"Right." she nodded.

They played for a few more minutes before Hinata interrupted and stopped their game.

"Hanabi, it's time to go home." Hinata called.

Naruto turned to her. Hanabi didn't. She wanted to keep playing some more.

"Need a ride home, Hinata-chan?" he offered as usual.

After Hinata placed her books in her bag, she got down from the bleachers and walked towards the two, wearing her usual gentle expression.

"It's okay, Naruto-kun. Hanabi and I can go to the train station by ourselves." she said. "Besides, you've done so much for us already. Isn't that right, Hanabi?"

"But nee-chan —"

"Nonsense. I should be the one thanking _you_, Hinata-chan." Naruto interrupted. "You made me lunch for today. Your sushi's the best!"

"Wait, you made Naruto-senpai lunch?" Hanabi complained. "You didn't even cook sushi for your own sister! That's so unfair!"

Naruto had never met anyone as kind as Hinata before. If he only knew what having a mother was like, then he'd know that Hinata was like his mother. Preparing him lunch, teaching him stuff that he didn't know, and being so kind all the time.

"Have you thanked your coach, Hanabi?" Hinata began. "Say thank you to Naruto-kun."

"I can hear you, ya' know." Naruto grinned.

"Thanks, Naruto-senpai!"

Unexpectedly, Hanabi gave him a wide hug much to Hinata's surprise. He could see Hinata's eyes widened as her sister gave him a tight hug. Surprise wasn't probably the right word — "shocked" was a better one. Hinata was shocked.

Then she whispered to his ear, careful to not let Hinata hear.

"Think about what I told you." she whispered, referring to what she said to him about her sister being single.

In the end, Hinata got convinced by Naruto that he'd drop them off at their house. He insisted and was further supported by the ever-enthusiastic Hanabi.

* * *

"W-We're here."

Naruto stepped on the brake at Hinata's command, stopping the car.

"Holy shit." the blonde muttered.

"What's the matter? Never been to a rich girl's house before?" Hanabi said smugly as she got down from the car and ran inside her house to take a shower.

"Want to c-come inside, Naruto-kun?." Hinata offered. "W-We can have some snacks."

The **Hyuga Mansion** looked like something that should have been featured in a decorating magazine. Naruto's apartment was nothing compared to this four-storey elegant mansion. He had never sat foot in any mansions like this in his entire life before.

The front garden was featured with exquisite flowers, all rare and beautiful.

"You weren't kidding when you said you lived near the **Hyuga Enterprise **building?" Naruto asked Hinata, recalling the time when they first met after he saved her life.

"N-No, I was serious." the Hyuga replied.


	8. Chapter 8 : First Impressions

**Beginning Song:** _"You and Me"_ by Lighthouse

**Ending Song:** _"Never Be The Same" by Red_

* * *

**Chapter Eight**

**First Visit, First Impressions**

The Hyuga mansion was conveniently located at the back of the Hyuga Enterprise building. The business structure had a private entrance which led to the mansion itself. Not everyone in the public was aware of the hidden entrance, not even the media itself.

Once they got inside the main entrance, his eyes caught sight of the front hall which had rich hardwood flooring and cemented walls. But just beyond that, every inch of carpeting — all his eyes could see was white.

"I can't believe you live in such _hardship_, Hinata-chan." he commented sarcastically. "Aren't you going to take me on a tour around the palace, Your Majesty?"

" '_Y-Your Majesty_?' "

"Just kidding." Naruto chuckled.

A tour it was.

He looked at Hinata as he followed her inside the _house_, or better to say — mansion. Her cheeks seemed bright red everytime he'd stare at her. _What's her problem?_

"Shouldn't rich girls like you be in a private school or something?" he asked whilst they walked side-by-side.

"F-Father studied in a public school before." Hinata explained. "P-Private or public, it doesn't matter as l-long as you get good education."

"Can't argue with that."

"Are you hungry, N-Naruto-kun?"

"Not really. But if it's your sushi that we're talking about, then I might change my mind."

He could see her lips bend into a subtle smile at his comment. Hinata was blushing once more.

"L-Let's go to the kitchen then."

"Lead the way, Hinata-chan."

After Hinata took him on a tour around first floor of the mansion, they went to the kitchen on the second floor upstairs.

"Wow." Naruto muttered silently after they entered.

_This is a kitchen?!_ Its got a bigger space than his apartment alone.

Expensive, dark wood and mahogany furniture — something like that — sat against the walls in an arranged manner. Framed paintings — one of them being an exact replica of Da Vinci's Mona Lisa, hung on the walls for display.

"T-Take a seat, Naruto-kun. I'll go get s-some drinks at the fridge."

Naruto sat on one of the chairs stationed on a nearby porcelain counter, close to where Hinata was.

Everything was accented with white and gold, from the chandelier, kitchen counters, tables, chairs, throw pillows, sofas, vases and almost every single decoration in the kitchen.

"What drinks w-would you like?" she asked, letting the refrigerator door stay open.

"Anything. Whatever you're having."

He gingerly placed his backpack on the floor beside the kitchen counter until suddenly, they heard a shout coming from upstairs.

"NEE-CHAN! THE PHONE UP HERE IS RINGING!" Hanabi shouted from upstairs. Her voice echoed throughout the whole house. "I'M GOING TO TAKE A SHOWER! YOU BETTER ANSWER IT!"

"Oh no, I f-forgot my phone." Hinata realised. "It's in the b-bag upstairs in my room."

"We can go get it if you like. Drinks can wait." the blonde Uzumaki suggested.

* * *

Hinata had _never_ _ever_ brought a guy friend inside her room before.

Her parents have been strict about the whole _No Boys Allowed_ thing whenever a couple of her other friends outside of school would come in for a sleepover. But of course, she wouldn't tell Naruto about that.

Naruto is the first guy ever to set foot inside her room besides her father. She opened the door towards the room and led the blonde Uzumaki inside.

Her room had a bookcase on one side, mahogany trimmed with gold, packed with all sorts of novels and science books. _Nerdy books_. Not a shocker. Her lavender bedspread decorated with yellow checked quilt was neat and orderly as ever.

"No Barbie princess castles and magic unicorn toys? I'm disappointed." Naruto teased.

Hinata proceeded to get her phone out of her bag to read the missed call. _From father?_ She read the name on the phone to herself.

"Wh-Why would I need to have those in my room, Naruto-kun?"

"I thought all rich little girls have one." he laughed inwardly. Then, his attention shifted to the other side of the bookshelf. "Whoa. Is this you here, Hinata-chan?"

A picture of a little girl with dark-blue hair, looking about eight to nine years old wore a tiny, cute purple dress as she posed for the camera.

Naruto continued.

"Oh look, this woman beside you. You've got her eyes. I'm guessing she's your mom?"

"Y-Yes, Naruto-kun."

"Where is she now? Working?"

"Work? W-Work would be a little strong." Hinata walked closer to the blonde who viewed her family pictures with fascination.

"What do you mean _work_ is a little strong?" Naruto glanced at her quickly before getting back on looking at the photos.

"M-My mother d-doesn't work," she replied while fixing the misplaced photos that Naruto had moved. "She **volunteers**. Sh-She doesn't get paid for what she does in charities. My mother's in Otogakure right now, h-helping the orphaned r-refugees."

"That's nice of her."

There were pictures of: baby Hinata, Hinata's first baby steps, Hinata with her parents, Hinata's pre-school years, Hinata and Hanabi together and more of her modelling photos too. She watched the blonde Uzumaki look at the pictures in awe and fascination, like a curious baby who saw the world for the first time.

But as he reached the right-hand corner of the shelf, his eyes widened and jaw dropped at the surprising revelation.

The picture had a label below that says:

**'Little Victoria's Secret Model of the Year Award'**

Little Hinata was on modelling swim suits and elegant cocktail dresses as she posed for the cameras surrounding her.

_How could this shy girl be the one in that photo?_ It was impossible to believe. He couldn't imagine her being outgoing and striking poses in front of cameras.

"_Modelling_?! You did modelling? That's amazing, Hinata-chan! Oh man, look at you in this photo." Naruto continued scanning his eyes at the other pictures on Hinata's bookshelf.

_'Isn't that what rich little girls do?'_ Hinata could imagine her sister saying it in front of Naruto if Hanabi was here. Would've been a good comment.

_Oh god. Why did I bring him here?_ Hinata's face flushed with embarrassment. Of all the people she knew outside the family, it had to be Naruto who'd figure out her modelling secret.

"I — I used to be a m-model when I was little. P-Please don't tell anyone, Naruto-kun. I've n-never told anyone else outside the family." she begged.

"Why'd you stop modelling? You look great!"

"I — It's because I —"

"You're so cute here, Hinata-chan." he interrupted as he ogled at the rest of Hinata's modelling pictures.

His comment threw her out-of-balance.

_Did he just call me "cute"?_

Her cheeks felt on fire.

She could just grab Naruto's face and kiss him right now, right here — at this very moment. Or maybe she could just throw herself off the long flights of stairs and instantly die of sheer joy or humiliation.

"Can I keep this photo?" Naruto showed her one of her baby photos. "Wait. Maybe I should keep this one instead." he placed the other photo back and took another one. "This one here looks cuter. Aww, look at baby Hinata-chan."

"S-Stop looking at them, Naruto-kun. It's embarrassing!" Hinata blushed.

"Embarrassing? Are you for real? You shouldn't be ashamed of your beauty, ya' know."

With face flushed red, she suddenly lunged towards him and attempted to snatch the photos away from his hands. But Naruto won't give them up.

Naruto's lips twisted into a mischievous grin. Admittedly, he was having fun watching the Hyuga try to take the photos away from him.

"P-Please, Naruto-kun. Give them back!"

"Come and get them, little princess." he whispered in her ear, noticing her flinch.

He chuckled, watching her struggle as she jumped up and down to take the pictures away from his hands.

"EEEEEEP!"

But suddenly, Hinata tripped.

She fell on top of Naruto, who accidentally released the photos from his hands. Dozens of images were now scattered all over the room.

_Beautiful eyes._ The incident allowed Naruto to gaze into her perfectly placed sockets, white and alluring. Their lips were only a centimetre apart.

Both were close enough to even share their breathing.

Time flew by slowly — although it only happened in a matter of a few seconds or so. But what happened in seconds felt like an eternity. Something that both parties wanted to last forever.

_Mother of boobs._ Naruto peered below. He could make out the shape and size of her breasts from his position. Her rack was definitely bigger than Sakura's or Ino's. Much rounder and definitely better. _Damn._

"Oh shit, s-sorry." _Did I just stutter? _Naruto snapped out of his trance. "I'll help you get them pictures back. Hold on."

But she froze. Hinata kept staring at his face, her body still on top of him. He swore he could see her face turn redder and redder.

"Are you alright, Hinata-chan?"

He extended an arm to feel her forehead.

_No signs of fever._ Then why is she so red?

"N-Naruto-kun!" Hinata immediately uttered his name the moment he touched her head.

She got up from the awkward position and stood up quickly. Hinata proceeded to gather some of the photos that fell beside her, as if nothing happened just now. Naruto helped her gather all her photos back and she began counting them after they finished searching the floor for any pictures left.

"Thirty-one. Thirty-two. Thirty-three."

He watched her finish counting the photos, but then Hinata turned towards him with a worried expression on her face.

"What's up?" he asked.

"There are s-supposed to b-be 34 photos in all." she muttered after counting the pictures again to make sure that she had counted them right.

"Wait. I think one of them fell under your bed. I'll go get it, Hinata-chan."

Crouching down, Naruto tilted his head on one side to search for one of the photos that probably fell underneath Hinata's bed.

_There it is._ Found it.

Cautiously, he reached out an arm to reach for the photo that fell further underneath the centre of the bed. His arms were too short to stretch out, so he had to crawl under the bed to retrieve it. He heard footsteps approaching the room whilst he strived to reach out for the photo underneath the bed.

"N-Naruto-kun, please hurry up." Hinata begged. "My f-father's coming."

"Here. I've got it." Naruto successfully retrieved the photograph and handed it over to Hinata, who was urging him to leave their room with her.

"L-Let's go downstairs right now."

"But Hinata-chan —"

"My father's h-here." she intervened, looking really tense and anxious.

"Jesus, what's wrong? It's not like we were doing _something_ wrong." he grabbed her arm. "Just calm down."

"Y-You don't understand, Naruto-kun."

"Not understand what?" Another voice suddenly spoke.

_Father!_ Hinata whipped her head around to find Hiashi Hyuga, owner and **CEO** of Hyuga Enterprise, standing in front of the opened door towards her room like a towering grim reaper on judgement day.

"Tou-san, it's n-not —"

"— what I think it is?" Hiashi continued for her. His _overprotective-fatherly-warning-glare_ levelled towards Naruto. "I certainly hope not."

With an unfazed composure, the blonde Uzumaki glared back at Hiashi.

"She's taking me on a tour… sir." Naruto replied at once.

"A _tour_?" Hiashi raised an eyebrow. "And it's just around her bedroom I assume?"

_Please don't say anything stupid, Naruto-kun_. Hinata silently prayed at the back of her mind although she knew that both of them are in for big trouble.

"Actually, I was viewing your family pictures here." the blonde managed to snort a chuckle. "We were just going to head downstairs to resume the tour ya' know."

"How old are you? Who are you? And where do you come from?" the Hyuga patriarch bombarded the blonde with questions and Hinata could feel the tension in the atmosphere rising.

"Seventeen. And what's with the interrogation? You're not a cop."

"I asked you questions, son." Hiashi gently spoke. "You answer me properly."

"I'm not your son." Naruto could feel his hostility towards him, making his shoulders tighten.

Naruto knew about the kind of stare that Hiashi was giving him. It was the kind of stare that snotty rich people do when they talk to some disgusting, homeless hobo along the side of the road. Unfriendly and unwelcoming.

"Don't get smart with me, boy."

"T-Tou-san, please. It's all a m-misunderstanding. Naruto-kun w-was just —"

But Hiashi interrupted.

"Do you know what the age of consent is, my boy?" the patriarch asked.

_Age of consent?! _Hinata realised what her father meant by it.

"T-Tou-san! _Oh my god._ W-We weren't doing it!" she replied at once.

Naruto wasn't an idiot too. The Hyuga father was accusing him of having sex with his daughter and he was well aware of that.

"Get his things out of here, Hinata." Hiashi turned to his daughter. "Right. Now."

"I can get my own things." said Naruto.

"I'm not letting you out of my sight, boy." the patriarch's dominance was obvious. "Do as I say, Hinata. Now."

Hinata swallowed and obeyed. She slipped past her father and out of her room to get the Uzumaki's backpack downstairs. But what Naruto was about to say next made her stop on her feet.

"Don't forget to bring my box of condoms too, Hinata-chan." Naruto added as he glared back at the Hyuga.

_Box of condoms?! _Now Hiashi looked like a mad bull. His face flushed red in anger as if he wished he had a shotgun in his hands right now so that he could just pull the trigger off and shoot this blonde fucker dead.

"How dare you! If I find out that you touched my daughter, I'll chop your balls off you—"

"STOP IT!" Hinata suddenly yelled. "JUST STOP IT BOTH OF YOU! ENOUGH!"

Hiashi and the blonde snapped towards her. For the first time, Naruto heard Hinata yell words out and say sentences without actually stuttering.

Bodyguards came rushing towards the room after hearing Hinata scream.

"You've got two options now, boy." Hiashi walked towards the blonde Uzumaki and whispered calmly. "Number **one** is — I'll have you charged with trespassing and statutory rape AND I'll have my guards beat the living crap out of you. Or number **two**, the far more better choice — you can get out of my property and stay the hell away from my daughter."

_Fuck. _Naruto could feel the intensity of the situation at hand. He glanced at Hinata, who's eyes were going to wet with tears any moment soon. It's all his fault. He got her into trouble because of his mouth that won't snap shut.

Option number two would be the safest choice.

For now at least.


	9. Chapter 9 : Nobody's Perfect

**Beginning Song:** _"You and Me"_ by Lighthouse

**Ending Song:** _"Never Be The Same" by Red_

* * *

**Chapter Nine**

**Nobody's Perfect**

Hinata pulled her blanket up her chin as she tossed and turned to one side of the bed.

She had been coercing herself to sleep for almost half-an-hour already, but her mind won't shut down for the night yet.

"Hinata, are you awake?"

_God_. Her father. _Him_ of all people.

Hiashi Hyuga knocked a few more times before opening the door.

The door creaked opened slowly, as if Hiashi was half-expecting his daughter to throw a knife on his face after the _scene_ with that rude and idiotic blonde boy a while ago. But Hinata wasn't violent like that.

"How are you? Are you alright?" Hiashi asked gently. "You didn't join us for dinner tonight."

Hinata felt her cheeks burning, remembering the drama that occurred here in her room. Perhaps she shouldn't have invited that blonde-meathead sports junkie to come in. Trouble could've been prevented. _Am I alright?_ _I don't know. _

"Are you mad at me? You can let me know. I'm your father." he approached her side.

"No. I'm not mad." Hinata pulled her blanket higher, her face now covered. She could feel her father's eyes fall on the lumpy shape that she now presented on her bed. "Not at you, tou-san." she added.

"Did I … embarrass you? With that boy a while ago I mean. Look Hinata, I —"

"It wasn't you fault." she interrupted. "But we didn't do _it_. Naruto-kun and I weren't _doing_ whatever you think we _did_ even though he mentioned that— that imaginary b-box of c-condoms." Gosh, it was hard to say it.

"I know that you're not that kind of girl, Hinata. You're my daughter after all. I trust you, but not _him_." Hiashi stressed _'him'_.

Hinata removed her blankets, sending the sheets flying to the other side before she sat up her bed and slowly lifted her gaze up to her father.

"Can I sit on your bed?" Hiashi asked gently.

She nodded in approval.

The Hyuga patriarch sat on her bed beside his daughter. He turned to her with kind fatherly eyes before speaking.

"Hinata," he sighed. "You're already seventeen. I know that girls your age are going to be interested in boys. But —"

"Stand up," she hissed. "I changed my mind."

Hiashi stood up quickly. He had never seen this angry-side of her before. True that he might appear scary in front of his daughter's _male_ _friends_ but he was very obedient and respectful to his princess.

"I know that you're under a lot of stress — moving into a new school, fitting in with new people in a new environment and all that."

"We're all stressed, tou-san. But I'm fine."

Hinata shifted her gaze away from her father, now looking outside her window instead.

"I know what high school boys are like, Hinata. I just don't want you to get hurt once you realise that he's just using you because you're … _you._" Hiashi explained. "I mean— you're beautiful, intelligent and rich. I've got a feeling that he was just after your —"

"Money?" she snapped at him. "Is that what you think of him? First of all, we're _just friends_. Secondly, you don't even know him, tou-san. Naruto-kun saved m—"

_Wait_. _I can't tell him_. Hinata was prepared to bomb her father with details about how Naruto had saved her life but she knew what'll happen if he finds out. Her father would certainly withdraw her from the school and she would be forced back to being **homeschooled **once more. _He can't take away my independence._ She won't go back on having bodyguards all over her once more.

"He saved your_ what_?" Hiashi asked.

She quickly thought of an excuse.

"N-Naruto-kun saved me from spending money on buying t-train tickets. He always offers m-me a ride home." her lungs loosened in relief of her excuse. "He's a dumb jock who's failing maths and my helping him with his studies."

_Correction. He's my ONLY friend besides Hanabi._ More importantly, someone who wouldn't call her a lesbian. _And in fact I like him. I do like him. A lot._

"Just for _that_ reason? You should've taught him **manners before maths**." Hiashi spoke softly. His daughter's reasoning seemed shallow. "Look, I know that I'm not always at home because I'm busy at work, but we've talked about bringing boys inside your room before. It's against the rules of this household."

"I know." Hinata answered, almost inaudible. "It's my fault. Sorry, tou-san. It won't happen again."

Hiashi took her face into his hands and kissed his daughter's forehead. "I'm not accusing you of anything, Hinata. I'm just doing what a father does." He gave her a gentle pat the shoulder afterwards before heading towards the door to leave her room. "Goodnight." he said to her before closing the door.

"You too, tou-san."

* * *

He didn't feel like going to work tonight but he had too.

Part-time job at Ichiraku's was busy as usual, especially at night. Naruto often worked afternoon shifts on weekdays but during Thursdays, he usually works a night shift.

Tonight he got assigned to serve at the counter taking people's orders. But his head hurt, his stomach growled of hunger and oh boy, he definitely needed a shower after his basketball practice with Hanabi but there was no time to do so.

"Naruto-kun, are you feeling alright?" Ayame noticed the blonde's fatigue, evident by the eye bags on his eyes and his scruffy hair.

_I'm exhausted. I'm hungry. I got accused of being a rapist the first ten seconds I met someone. NOT a-okay at all. _But he couldn't tell that to her face.

"I'm fine, Ayame-chan." Naruto lied. "Just tired, that's all."

He fought to keep himself awake as he stood in front of the counter, ready to serve customers for another hour. God, how he wished he could just go home right now.

"Busy day?"

"Totally." he answered straightaway.

_And very fucked up too._ Naruto added in his head.

"You should probably take a day-off tomorrow. In all honesty, you look like you just got repeatedly ran over by a six-wheeler truck on the side of the road. No offence, Naruto-kun." she patted his shoulder like a caring sister before heading off to help her father cook ramen at the kitchen.

"None taken." he smiled weakly.

As he served the customers, he recalled how he left the Hyuga Mansion a while ago, escorted by a couple of Hiashi's bodyguards who were tasked to make sure that he actually leaves and never comes back. Hell, maybe they even took note of his plate number without him knowing.

_First impression: _Hinata's father was a judgemental bastard.

Or maybe he was just trying to protect his daughter. _Protect Hinata? From who? Me? Oh yeah that's right. Because I looked like a "rapist jock"._ Perhaps he should've told her father about how he had saved her life from the "real" rapists who dragged her into a dark alley and almost ravaged her. Yeah, he could've bragged about his heroics.

But damn it's too late.

Later that night, he finished his shift and headed straight home after buying a bottle of Gatorade.

He wouldn't drive home feeling drowsy. Back at his apartment, nothing was new. But no one was home. _Where's that old man?_ Naruto checked every single room in the apartment. Jiraiya's room, his room, the kitchen, the living room but found no one.

Suddenly, he felt his phone vibrate on his pocket.

A text message.

_Please. Please let it be Hinata-chan._

He wished, hoping that she'd text him first so that he can explain the rude things that he'd said to her father.

But no. It's from Jiraiya.

**Naruto, where are you?**

Naruto replied:

**Home. I should ask you the same.**

Jiraiya was quick to reply.

**I'm with Tsunade in a casino downtown. I left you some take-away food at the fridge. Don't stay up too late. See you in the morning.**

Casino? Is that old hag actually planning to spend the night somewhere else? So much for the_ "financial" kind of help_ from his girlfriend. Naruto heaved a sigh before proceeding to grab the take-away food from the fridge that Jiraiya had texted him about.

He heated the food in the microwave before eating his dinner alone at the table.

Honestly, his body was dead exhausted: both physically and emotionally. But somehow, he he's got to make things right between him and Hinata.

_God, I'm such an idiot_. Naruto cursed himself as he took a spoonful of the take-away food in front of him.

_Maybe I should text her and say sorry?_

He checked the time on his phone.

_Nah, she's probably in bed by now._

Hyuga Hinata had been his sweet, innocent and beautiful, shy angel. The only girl who'd always laugh at his jokes, blush when he looks at her, makes lunch for him, won't judge him about the _'prostitute rumours' _and most of all, help him with his math problems. He'd feel like a cripple walking without crutches if ever she decides to _never_ talk to him ever again.

It could all wait for tomorrow.

* * *

Naruto came to school earlier than usual, hoping that Hinata would be there already so that they can have the 'talk' about what happened yesterday.

But the Hyuga wasn't in maths class yet.

Instead, a few of his classmates including Ino and Sakura were already there. The two girls were always early as usual, wearing their shorter-than-usual school mini-skirts whilst they gossiped in whispers that Naruto couldn't make out. He didn't care anyways.

The blonde strode towards his seat and dropped his backpack on the floor beside his desk.

"Hey, Naruto." Sakura suddenly called for him.

_Did hell just freeze over?_ The Haruno would never ever start a conversation with him early in the morning. Unless there's something going on.

"'Sup, Sakura-chan?" he kept his expression boring and yawned.

Sakura moved to the seat beside him. She took Hinata's seat to be specific. But of course, the Hyuga's not here yet so it's probably alright for now.

"Do you still have basketball practice every afternoon?"

"Don't I always?" he answered. "You seem interested in it."

"Oh nothing." Sakura flipped her hair backwards. But Jesus, it looked like an _act_. "Just wondering that's all. Anyways, I saw you and the _new girl_ at the library yesterday. What's up with that?"

"You mean Hinata-chan? We were just studying maths." It was true. They were indeed studying — half of the time.

"Is that so? I thought you hated maths."

"What? You think a tough guy like me can't handle maths? Please, give me a break."

He shrugged and glanced at the doorway as he saw a familiar face approaching.

Hinata Hyuga finally arrived.

But she didn't bat an eye on him. Sakura moved back to her seat the moment she spotted Hinata. Naruto swore that he heard the Haruno call Hinata a _'lesbo'_ right after she transferred seat. The Hyuga slipped into the chair beside him quietly. He summoned up all his courage to look at her in the eye.

Still, Hinata didn't look at him.

"Naruto," Sakura began once more. "You know, I seem to have noticed something different about you today."

"Noticed what?" he shifted his eyes back to the pinkette in front of him.

"You look kind of _tired_. Did you _sleep_ with someone else last night?" she whispered.

At the corner of his eye, he could spot the Hyuga's appalled reaction.

Hinata stiffened, hearing Sakura's question.

_Does she seriously think that I'd leave her mansion like that and go bang some random hooker at night? _Naruto thought.

No. Hinata won't believe those rumours about him. Right? She's not that kind of girl.

"Christ, Sakura-chan, go and gossip with someone else." Naruto said. "I'm having a bad day." he made sure that Hinata heard it.

"I'm sorry to hear that." Sakura apologised. "I was just kidding, Naruto. It was a joke. Don't take it too personally."

She bent down to get something from her bag and passed on a small piece of note towards him.

"What's this?"

"My number. Call me whenever you're having a bad day… or night." she flashed him an uncanny smile.

Hinata remained still, he noticed.

_Seriously, what the fuck is going on?_ Naruto's mind couldn't process the things that are currently happening. He thought Sakura didn't like him, and now she's giving him her phone number? Did she suddenly damage her head or something?

"Why would I call you?"

"Don't you need _someone_ to talk to when you're having problems? Sharing the load helps lighten up the burden." she said to him. "I read that in some life advice magazine."

"Right." But he wasn't buying it.

The day started out with Mathematics as usual with Iruka-sensei. Naruto couldn't help but glance at Hinata every after twenty seconds, with hopes that she'd look at him so that he can flash her his _'apologetic look'_ and say sorry. But the Hyuga ignored him for the entire hour. Was she really that mad at him?

* * *

When the bell rang, Hinata bolted out.

Naruto didn't become the MVP in their basketball team for nothing. He blocked her way along the halls, cornering her in one side. She tried to escape him but he successfully blocked her path in every way that she tried.

"Hinata-chan, please." he begged. "Please listen to me."

She stopped but didn't look at him, her books still clutched protectively against her chest.

"I know what I said and did yesterday. I was being an asshole to your dad." Naruto began. "Hey, look at me. Please."

He gently touched her shoulder and she didn't jerk him off, letting his hand stay on her. He could see her cheeks turning bright red on those soft facial features. She had a white, flawless face as ever.

"Please, Hinata-chan. Look at me."

She sighed and stared up at him — the halls around her seem to have collapsed. Hinata took a step backwards, her back now against a column of lockers behind her.

Neither spoke for a few seconds. Naruto waited until all the students along the hallways were gone before he started talking.

The hallways were now empty.

"Look, about yesterday. It was stupid. I mean— _I was_ stupid. I'm sorry for upsetting you but … I am _not_ sorry for what I said to your father." his voice was hoarse in adjuration.

His eyes met her own. She wasn't saying anything, but he could feel her listening.

"Your father was being a dick, alright?" Naruto clutched her shoulder tighter. "I'm apologising to _you_. Only you."

He took a long breath but didn't take his eyes off of her. What should he do? Hug her? Kneel down in front of her and beg? Or maybe even kiss her? He wasn't so good with this whole '_apology stuff'_.

"Please say something, Hinata-chan."

Still none.

"I'm sorry. I really, really am. I'd do anything for you to forgive me."

Hinata's pulse raced. His voice was gentle, low and rough. He meant it. She could feel it. It costed him probably his whole pride to say those things in front of her.

"You should be sorry to my father."

Hinata finally spoke.

Not stuttering at all.

Since last night, Hinata had _vowed_ to herself that she would no longer stutter in front of this blonde boy who bravely saved her life but was also bravely stupid enough to talk back to her father and be a rude ass.

"Sorry but I'm not used to getting accused of rape in the first ten seconds I meet someone." Naruto grabbed her other shoulder. "Your father thought we did _something_. He _judged_ me. Do you even know what it feels like when someone misjudges you for being somebody that you're not? You wouldn't know that because you're perfect to begin with."

"Maybe _you_ are also judging _him _wrongly." Hinata snapped back.

She could see him flinch at her words.

"Yes, my father was wrong. He was wrong about you. But you're also wrong about him. And no, Naruto-kun. I am _not_ perfect." She felt like she wanted to just slide down the lockers and melt into a puddle of water at his feet.

_Beautiful, intelligent and rich_. She recalled the words that her father said to her last night. Are those the words to describe perfection?

She could now make out his cheekbones, his individual eyelashes and the strands of blonde hair that fell on his forehead. She could also feel his sweet, warm breath on her warm, flushed face.

"Sorry. I'm so sorry." he murmured softly. "Sorry. Sorry. Sorry. I'm so sorry, Hinata-chan." words of apology kept coming out of his mouth in whispers.

_Wait, is he going to cry?_ His eyes went dark, cold and sort of watery. But he released her shoulders from his grasp and took a step back before looking away from her eyes.

"I hope you forgive me one day." Naruto said. "I'm not perfect either." he whispered before turning around and walking away from her.

_I'm not perfect either_. His words lingered in her mind. She glanced up to look at him, but Naruto had already turned around the corner, never to be seen.


	10. Chapter 10 : An Invitation?

**Beginning Song:** _"You and Me"_ by Lighthouse

**Ending Song:** _"Never Be The Same" by Red_

* * *

**Chapter Ten**

**An Invitation?**

Naruto skipped the rest of his classes for the day and went straight home after his encounter with Hinata. Not only his head hurt, he was also feeling lethargic. Even Sakura noticed that he wasn't looking quiet well this morning.

He arrived home at the apartment, hearing his old man chatting with someone at the kitchen.

Rushing towards the place, he was surprised to find a blonde woman _(who had noticeably huge busts)_, having a cup of coffee in the kitchen. She was wearing Jiraiya's shirt. _One of his whores? Probably? _Jiraiya was sitting on the dinner table while reading a newspaper. The two stared at him in agape when he arrived — like he was some cat burglar who got caught sneaking inside the apartment.

The blonde woman looked at Naruto, then glanced towards Jiraiya.

"I didn't know you had a son." she said.

"He's my _foster_ son." Jiraiya corrected her and folded his newspaper in half. "Tsunade, I'd like you to meet Uzumaki Naruto my adopted son. Naruto, she's my boss at work, Senju Tsunade."

"Hi." Tsunade beamed a smile towards Naruto while holding a cup of coffee in one hand.

But Naruto bolted straight to his room, shutting the door behind him without even bothering to greet the guest.

"He's the silent type I assume?" she asked.

"No. Just the angsty type." Jiraiya stood up from his seat. "Give me a minute with him."

* * *

Hinata's morning didn't start out that great, no thanks to her 'talk' a while ago with Naruto that made her stomach tie in knots.

She won't deny it. She still likes him.

But god, he is such an idiot.

Solving Physics problems in class seems to be a great way to forget about the drama she had with him this morning at the hallways. She forced herself to get excited about mass and acceleration and inclined planes as she rapidly punched numbers on her scientific calculator, trying to solve the problem on her Physics Question Sheet as if her whole life depended on it.

She thanked her lucky stars that the blonde jock didn't do Physics. Or better to say — _wasn't_ capable of doing Physics.

"Has anyone figured out the answer to question number three?" their Ebisu-sensei called out at the back of the class.

From the corner of her eye, Hinata could see the pinkette Haruno raise her hand from the other side of the row.

"Yes, Sakura?" Ebisu noticed the pinkette.

"Is the answer 2,456 miles per hour?" Sakura read out from her paper with confidence.

"Wrong." the sensei replied flatly.

Hinata glanced at the Haruno and she could see the disappointment on her face. The Hyuga already knew what the answer to the question was, having done it several minutes ago.

"Anyone else?" their sensei asked. "How about I call out a name and you give me the answer." Ebisu proceeded to get the list of the class' names from the front table and scanned the whole document, looking for a name to call. "Which one of you here is Hyuga Hinata? I haven't heard from you before. Care to share your answer with the rest of the class?"

She snapped her head up.

"Hyuga HInata, what's your answer to number 3?"

The whole class turned towards her, making Hinata conscious that she was being stared at.

"I got 2,782.5 m-miles per hour r-rounded to one decimal p-place?" God, her stuttering habit again.

"Aaaand," Ebisu pointed at her. "You got it RIGHT!"

_BAM! _Just then, she heard Sakura slam her calculator on her desk. _What's her problem?_

"Did anyone else get the correct answer?" Nobody else raised their hand. "For question number three, a lot of physical forces have to be taken into consideration. Air resistance, friction and gravity are the factors which affect the velocity of the…" Ebisu went on and on, explaining the rest of the concepts behind the question that HInata had just answered correctly.

After her Physics class ended, Hinata was about to head out of the room but a bright voice had her head jerk up.

"Hey."

Haruno Sakura stood in front of her.

Bright pink hair, glossy lips, a shorter-than-average mini-skirt. And Hinata knew about what the pinkette was calling her behind her back during Maths class. For some reasons, Hinata felt quiet uneasy in her presence. She wondered if she should be running — maybe Sakura would beat the crap out of her right here in the classroom?

Plus, Hinata made up a list in her head for the reasons why she can't trust her:

_1\. Sakura calls her a 'lesbo'._

_2\. Hinata saw her flirting with Naruto during Maths._

_3\. Because she has pink hair._

"H-Hi?" the Hyuga's eyes widened.

Sakura was smiling at her suspiciously. "You must be Hyuga Hinata. Gosh, I've always wanted to introduce myself to you. I'm Haruno Sakura by the way."

The pinkette extended a hand, to which Hinata shook awkwardly.

"N-Nice to m-meet you." the Hyuga replied, shaking her hand.

"So how's Naruto? Does he treat you nicely?"

"I d-don't know what y-you're talking about."

"Oh sorry," Sakura sat on the seat beside her. "I don't mean to pry into your business, but I thought you two were _dating_. You and Naruto have been always together for the past couple of days in the library."

"N-Naruto-kun and I? N-No! You have it all w-wrong! We're not d-dating."

"My bad. I didn't know." the pinkette dug her hand into her pocket to pull out her phone. "But you know, I saw you having an _intense_ convo with him a while ago at the hallways, so I thought that —"

"It was n-nothing." Hinata interrupted before she could finish her sentence. The Hyuga slung her bag unto her shoulder and got ready to leave the room.

Of all the people in the world, Sakura saw her drama with Naruto a while ago. _Great. _Just what she wanted, Hinata thought sarcastically.

"Wait. Before you leave." Sakura got her bag as well and stood up with the Hyuga.

_What does she want?_ Hinata asked herself.

"I'm having a party at my house next week on Friday after-school." Sakura handed a piece of crumpled paper towards Hinata. "It's supposed to be Saturday but the girls and I changed our minds. I was just thinking that maybe _you_ should come to my party, too."

Her? Going to a party with sociable people and a crew of airhead whores to actually interact with people her age? Hinata's eyes widened after hearing the invite, causing her to fidget awkwardly.

No one has ever invited her to parties before.

"M-Me?" Hinata had to make sure she heard it right.

"Yes. _You_. The party will be a great place for you to make new friends too, considering that you're a new student here in Konoha High." Sakura placed a hand on her shoulder and leaned in. "_Also, Naruto is coming to the party. It's an opportunity for you two to sort out whatever your argument was._" the Haruno whispered.

_Argument?_ What does this Haruno know?

"W-We weren't argu—"

"It's okay, Hinata. I won't tell anyone. Think of it, alright? My address is on that paper. I'll be expecting you to show up." Sakura said to her. "And oh, you should come an hour earlier at my house too."

"An h-hour earlier? Wh-Why?"

"I'll help do your make-up and style your hair before the party to get you ready." then the Haruno whispered. "_I'm sure Naruto won't be able to resist you._"

After calling her a "lesbian" behind her back, Sakura now wants to help her do her make-up?

Hinata studied Sakura's expression whilst she said those words. Had her interest in Naruto been that obvious? Was _she_ really looking like an "_overly-attached-Naruto-fangirl_"? Or maybe Sakura was just observant enough because she's jealous of Naruto's attention to her?

"I'll be expecting your decision on Monday. I'll be there at the library with the girls. You can just come by and see me once you've made up your mind." Sakura said.

Hinata nodded in response, speechless. She tried to imagine what it will be like. Being trapped at a party, surrounded by drunk people, party-crashers, the loud music, the drinks, and if the girls would start acting bitchy, she could just leave the party and never come back.

_God, can I really do that?_

But Naruto's going to be there. _Him. That blonde jock. _She felt the profound sincerity of his apology a while ago. Too sincere that he looked like he was going to burst into tears or something. Naruto _was_ indeed sorry. But he walked away from her before she got the chance to make up with him.

"See you around, Hinata." Sakura waved her goodbye before exiting the classroom ahead of her.

* * *

The door to his room creaked opened, Naruto could hear it. His face was pressed on the pillow, but he knew that it was Jiraiya who entered.

"Why aren't you in school? Care to explain?" Jiraiya closed the door behind him.

"No." Naruto replied a muffled response, his face still pressed on the pillow.

"Go back to school."

"No." the blonde pulled his blanket up higher.

"Don't test my patience." Jiraiya walked closer to him and punched his arm lightly. "I'm serious about this, Naruto. Go to school."

"It's Friday. No exams. Don't care." Naruto replied lifelessly.

Suddenly, Naruto felt a hand touch his neck.

"You're feverish. Are you sick?" Jiraiya said, feeling his skin temperature which turned out to be quiet high.

He shrugged. _Am I? _Yeah. Probably sick.

_Sick of life_.

But it's not because it's Friday, or that there were no exams, or that he didn't care at all — Naruto wasn't feeling so well and most of all, he felt like he no longer had the guts to look at Hinata Hyuga in the eyes after his _scene_ with her this morning. But he can't tell _that_ to Jiraiya. What would his old man think of him? Acting all emo because he had an argument with some girl whose father branded him a rapist? Boy, that sounds pathetic.

"Do you have any problems? Anything bothering you or whatsoever?" his old man read his mind. Even though Jiraiya wasn't his real father, the old geezer knew Naruto very well.

"No." he denied.

Jiraiya heaved a sigh. "You've been acting quiet _strange_ lately. I'm just wondering, that's all." He lifted his hand off of the blonde. "You're probably dealing with flu. I suggest you get some rest while I give Tsunade a ride home."

"Gee, you probably rode her hard last night." Naruto lifted his face from the pillow and turned to Jiraiya with a weak grin on his face. His old man snatched a pillow from the bed and slammed it on his face. Despite being weak and sick, the blonde Uzumaki managed to crack a dirty joke. Growing up with a man like Jiraiya? The old hag couldn't blame him for inheriting his dirty and dark sense of humour.

"Jesus, we didn't do anything last night. She was drunk and needed a place to stay." Jiraiya hit Naruto with the pillow one more time before leaving him. "Get some rest, asshole." he left the room with a wicked smile on his face.


	11. Chapter 11 : There's More To It

**Beginning Song:** _"You and Me"_ by Lighthouse

**Ending Song:** _"Never Be The Same" by Red_

* * *

**Chapter Eleven**

**There's More to It**

A couple of days have passed since he woke up from his seventeen-year-long comatose.

But Namikaze Minato's recovery was impressive considering the amount of time given. His senses recovered quickly — sight, hearing, smell, touch and taste. But his muscle coordination and skeletal movements were still relatively poor. As a result, Minato had to stay in bed for a few more weeks.

"Minato-sama," Kakashi Hatake entered the room. "Someone's here to see you. Nagato-sama sent him here."

"Who is it?"

"He claims to be the investigator of the plane crash incident for the past seventeen years."

Minato took in a deep breath. Finally, someone who can explain things to him.

"Send him in, Kakashi-san." he ordered.

"Right away."

Kakashi left the room and came back with someone after a few seconds.

Along with him was a brown-haired man in a formal business suit. Minato met his eyes, wise, dark ones that reflected a calm demeanour and a witty sense of judgement.

"Greetings, Minato-sama." the investigator began. "I am Detective Yamato Tenzo, at your service. It is an honour to finally meet you."

"Likewise." Minato replied, gesturing him to take a seat. "Kakashi-san, you may stay."

"As you wish." The Hatake was about to leave but he ordered him to stay. He proceeded to sit on the couch on the other side of Minato's bed.

"Nagato-sama sent me." Yamato began.

"I have been told."

Yamato placed his briefcase on a small table in front of him and opened it, laying before them all sorts of papers and documents regarding the results of the investigation that he had conducted.

"What can you tell me about the plane crash, Yamato-san?" Minato swallowed, feeling his throat dry up.

"Everything." Yamato answered. "I can tell you everything that I know — so far."

* * *

No texts. No calls. No sight of him.

Monday. Tuesday. Wednesday.

A certain Hyuga began to worry. What happened to him? Where is Uzumaki Naruto?

She was left with no other choice but to hang out with the sophomore bunch where her sister Hanabi was during recess and lunch time. Sakura had been oddly nice to her lately and her other friends stopped calling her a 'lesbo'. Things have been all good so far except for the fact that she was beginning to miss the blonde Uzumaki.

"I don't get why you waste so much time on school stuff. Aren't you hungry at all, nee-chan?"

Hinata flipped through her Literature assignment, trying to tune out her sister's whining whilst they sat on a bench underneath a tall tree alongside the sophomore grounds. It's been half-way through lunch time.

"I'm fine, Hanabi." Hinata glanced at her sister before looking back at her homework. "Just go to the cafeteria if you're hungry. I have to do some school work."

"And leave you alone by yourself? Gosh, do you want to look like a total loner?"

Hinata rolled her eyes and sighed. Hanabi was being Hanabi as usual. But what can she do? She was her sister after all.

"Hinata! We've been looking _everywhere_ for you."

The Hyuga jerked her head up at the familiar voice. A familiar, _irritating _voice.

Sakura Haruno and Ino Yamanaka stood in front of her. With their usual eye-catching mini-skirts and heavy make-up.

From the corner of her eye, she could see Hanabi's mouth hanging open.

"H-Hi?" Hinata greeted meekly.

"So, are you coming this Friday night?" Sakura flicked her short, pink hair backwards.

Hanabi kicked Hinata's leg underneath the table. "My sister's coming where?"

"Excuse me, but you're not a part of this conversa—"

The pinkette punched Ino's elbow before the blonde Yamanaka could blurt out something rude.

"Forgive Ino-pig here. She's such a _bitch_." Sakura glared at Ino before glancing back at Hinata. "You know, Ino here should apologise about calling you names, Hinata. But seriously, we call each other names all the time. Right, Ino-bitch?"

"Right, Sakura-whore." Ino replied giggling.

Hinata hated these girls. But a part of her was a little desperate. Desperately wishing that she could be a little more like them with all that self-confidence and charisma except for their bitchiness.

"Look," Sakura began. "If you're not coming, we totally get it. But you know, I bet Naruto would love to see you there at the party. It'd be wonderful opportunity for both of you to — get to know each other a bit more?"

"She's going." Hanabi suddenly spoke up for her sister after hearing that her sister's crush would be there.

Hinata flinched. That was totally unprepared for. She glanced at Hanabi in surprise.

"Great! That's good to hear." said Sakura. "Remember, an hour earlier 'kay?"

"Can I come too?" Hanabi asked.

"Sure. You're her sister I guess? Just bring some sweets with you." the pinkette added before leaving.

The Haruno and the Yamanaka left in a graceful exit. Suddenly the air current blew through their mini-skirts and revealed a part of their undies, earning them whistles from a couple of lewd sophomore boys just around the corner.

"Seriously?" Hinata whispered to her sister.

"Don't worry. I'll pick your clothes for you." Hanabi said with a sly grin.

"He won't be there. Naruto-kun's not even here."

"Are you sure?" Hanabi got up from the bench and called for some guy that she knew who was sitting with the other sophomores on the other bench next to theirs. "KONOHAMARU-KUN!"

A boy with a dark hair and an average height turned towards her sister's call. Unlike Hinata, Hanabi was quiet popular with her peers. She was less shy and more upfront. The boy ran towards them, waving at Hanabi whilst he sprinted.

"Hey." he said upon arriving. "Hi." he smiled at Hinata.

"You're with Naruto-senpai in the basketball team, right?" Hanabi asked.

"Of course I am. Why do ask, Hanabi-chan?"

"Do you know where he is? I haven't seen him in school this week."

Luckily, Konohamaru Sarutobi was Naruto's neighbour. He just lived across the street from where his apartment was and he knew exactly about his condition.

"He's sick with flu I've heard." Konohamaru said. "But I'm sure he'll turn up tomorrow. He's fine, don't worry."

Hinata sighed in relief after hearing the news.

After Konohamaru left, Hanabi turned towards her with a reassuring smile. "See? I told you. Naruto-senpai will turn up. Trust me."

* * *

Minato shifted his eyes at the pile of disorganised documents on a small coffee table beside his bed. Detective Yamato Tenzo showed him a mugshot of a man with a jet-black spiky hair who wore a stern, low-browed frowning mien.

"Who is that?" Minato asked.

"This man here is Alias** TOBI**." Yamato answered as he placed the mugshot on the table. "He's an international criminal known to be responsible for the assassination of several higher-ups in the society. He got arrested before but was released from prison nineteen years ago."

"I've heard of him." Kakashi interrupted with a glint of familiarity in his face. "He gave us a lot of trouble back when I joined the military." The Hatake said, recalling his past experience with the military forces of Konoha. He used to be a soldier before he retired and decided to work as Nagato's body guard.

Minato listened carefully, trying to attach the pieces of the mystery puzzle.

"You might be wondering why I'm telling you this, Minato-sama. But I believe that your plane crash incident seventeen-years ago wasn't just any _ordinary_ accident."

"What do you mean, Yamato-san?" Minato hoisted himself up so that he may rest on the bed in a sitting position. "You're saying that it was a set-up?"

Detective Yamato nodded.

"That the plane you were on was planted with explosives I believe, and it wasn't just some faulty engine bollocks that caused the crash." then he turned towards the image in front of him. "That's where Alias TOBI comes in. I believe that _he_ is responsible for planting a bomb on the **Kyuubi Kitsune Airlines**."

There had been several attempts on Minato's life ever since the Namikaze Corporation took over the marketing world. Death threats were suspected to have come from several rival companies of the corporation, although no evidence has been presented which could lead them to trace the origin of the threats from their rivals.

"And you might find this interesting." Yamato added quickly. "The files say that Alias TOBI's real name is **Obito Uchiha**. He's an _Uchiha_ for all we know. Do you see what this is, Minato-sama?"

_Of course._ Minato thought. Among the rivalling companies, the **Uchiha Corporation **has been their toughest competitor in the business ladder. It would make a lot of sense if the Uchihas would want him dead in the first place.

"Tobi A.K.A. Obito Uchiha, was known to be working with someone named Deidara — a psychopathic bombing expert." the detective paused. "And I guess you're smart enough to figure out the rest."

"How did you know about all this?"

Yamato scanned through the rest of the files on the table and appeared to be searching for some documents.

"Minato-sama, what I'm about to share with you is highly classified information." the detective looked at him in the eye intently, indicating the seriousness of the information that was about to be divulged. "We've recently hacked into the computers used by Konoha's top secret militia forces. It was risky but we found some highly relevant information regarding your case."

The detective handed him over another document containing a profile of a middle-aged man whose got white hair and sharp, dark eyes. Underneath the picture of the white-haired man, there was a label saying — **Codename: Pervy Sage**.

"Who's this _Pervy Sage_ man?" Minato glanced at the detective.

"He's an undercover agent of Konoha's specially trained class of elite spies." Yamato replied. "Well, he _used_ to be. Until his sudden disappearance while on a mission seventeen years ago."

"Wait, who is he? What does he have to do with any of these?" Minato wondered as he gave the paper back to Yamato.

"His real name wasn't in the records. Agent Pervy Sage went missing after his last mission, which was to track down Alias TOBI A.K.A Obito Uchiha. According to our findings, Pervy Sage's search for TOBI led him to the destination where he was last seen seventeen years ago, the **Kyuubi Kitsune Airlines**." the detective said. "He was on-board the plane with you and your family at that time, in case you haven't figured that out."

But they crashed. The plane crashed and they told him that he is the only survivor. His son is still missing, god knows where Naruto is and now this? Minato began to process all the information that he was getting one-by-one and tried to connect the dots.

"Didn't you find his body?"

"No."

Great. First they told him that he was the only survivor. Next, they told him that his son's body wasn't found, and now here's another mystery to solve about this undercover agent guy whom he couldn't care any less.

_But wait —_ A sudden realisation dawned on Minato. It was like putting one plus one together.

"If y-you didn't find my son's body _and_ you didn't find Pervy Sage's as well. Are you trying to say that —" But Minato was interrupted before he could voice out what he thought it was.

Yamato nodded. "Yes." He smiled. "I believe that Agent Pervy Sage found Naruto after the crash and has gone on hiding with your son ever since."

Minato was rendered speechless.

His body slumped heavily on the bed as if he suddenly collapsed. A dart of emotions pierced him. If that's the case, then it is possible that his son is actually alive. Naruto could be alive and well. Under the care of this undercover agent and is possibly on hiding for the past seventeen years. _Oh my god_.

"You are a brilliant detective, Yamato-san." Kakashi Hatake admired the detective. "You have my praise."

"As what I always hear." Yamato nodded respectfully towards the Hatake.

Nagato didn't hire him to be the investigator of this case for nothing. Yamato is known to be one of the best detectives all around the world, one with impressive qualifications. He graduated university and got a degree in criminology at the age of sixteen. A genius in this field of solving crimes.

"When did you find out about this?" Minato asked after a few seconds of recovering from shock.

"Just about a week before you woke up from comatose." Yamato replied, placing all the documents in front of him back to the briefcase.

"Kakashi-san," the Namikaze called for his bodyguard. "I want you to do something for me."

"What is it, Minato-sama?" Kakashi stood in attention, ready to obey orders.

He closed his eyes and with certainty, he said to him. "Order your men to find this Pervy Sage. If you find him, you'll find Naruto. Please go — go and find _my son_."

* * *

"Hello." his voice was rough as he spoke through the telephone.

_'Tobi. It's me.' _a man's voice spoke on the other side of the line.

"What do you want?"

_'He's alive.'_

"Who?"

_'He who made your life hell after all these years.'_

Then, the line was cut.

_So, he's alive_. He put the phone down.

Obito Uchiha. A man with a burning desire, a man whose solitary existence is fuelled alone by a bloodthirsty passion of killing. It's been so long since he last committed a satisfyingly malevolent act of taking away someone's life. Especially the life of someone who caused him suffering after all these years.

"This time, I'll make sure. This time, I'll make sure he never comes back." He placed a hand on the left side of his face, feeling it burnt, brown and forever scarred.

Forever ugly.

Cursed to forever look like a monster.

And it's all because of him.

"Namikaze Minato." Obito clenched his fists at the mention of his name. For some reasons, the thought of the Namikaze brought toxic bile burning on his throat. Like acid.

But there's much more to it than that.


	12. Chapter 12 : It's Party Time?

**Beginning Song:** _"You and Me"_ by Lighthouse

**Ending Song:** _"Never Be The Same" by Red_

* * *

**Chapter Twelve**

**It's Party Time?**

Friday night finally arrived.

It took Hinata about half an hour to decide on what to wear for tonight's party at Sakura's house. But as usual, her fashion sense was sacrilege and the ever vogue Hanabi wore a discontented look on her face after seeing her choice of outfit.

"Black turtleneck and jeans? … To a _party_?" Hanabi sighed. "Are you seriously going to wear that, nee-chan?"

Hinata shrugged.

"You asked me to choose what I like. Besides, aren't you showing enough skin for both of us?"

Her younger sister was in a spaghetti-strap and skintight denim capris, with a brand name near her bottom that proudly says _Guess. _The capri pants was a little _too_ tight, Hinata couldn't help but notice.

"Girl, you need help. I'm serious."

Hanabi rummaged through her sister's closet in her room, in a manner like she was scavenging for trash.

"You don't have to show _all_ your skin to look sexy for god's sake, nee-chan. What if you wore tights and a skirt instead of jeans? You can keep the turtleneck if you want." she said whilst fishing through the closet.

Hanabi's face lit up in delight as she found black tights and a purple-plaid skirt. "HERE!" she threw it to her sister's face.

"Hanabi, I don't think this one is —"

"Try it." Hanabi interrupted. "Please. You have to try to fit in a group for once. I can't show up at the party with a sister who looks like she was going to attend a funeral."

_A funeral? _Right. With these clothes on?

_It's a 'slutty' funeral_. Hinata said to herself at the back of her mind. She rolled her eyes and grabbed the clothes from her sister's hands.

She tried it on.

The black tights were opaque, not even a peek of her flesh could be seen through, which was good. The purple skirt was short, too short for what seemed _normal_ to Hinata's standards. But overall the black tights covering her skin made her feel less _bitchy_… just juvenile and ditzy.

"You are _sooo_ going to wear that tonight." Hanabi fixed her sister's collar before looking at her admiringly. "Just look at all these wonderful clothes that mother gave you. You have to make use of them before they get _handed down _to me." she glanced back at the wardrobe.

"I don't feel… comfortable." Hinata muttered as she checked herself out through the mirror.

"You _have_ to, nee-chan — if you want Naruto-senpai to notice you."

Notice her? She then remembered the way Naruto was checking out Sakura and Ino's mini-skirts in school during their maths class. _Are blonde jocks really attracted to girls with short mini skirts?_

Hanabi held up black boots. Branded _Gucci_ and stacked with two-inch heel plus laces going all the way up. "Here. Wear these."

Hinata remembered those boots.

She knew that those boots probably costed more than some people's whole _outfits_. It reminded her of her modelling days. Days when she used to step up in front of crowds, wearing trendy fashion items as cameras flashed for her whilst she did the _cat walk_. But those days are long gone.

And Hinata never really missed them.

"All right." she mumbled. "I've got a feeling I am really going to regret this."

"No, you won't." Hanabi stuck a tongue out playfully.

Boots plus tights plus a mini-skirt, equals Hinata's legs looking like twenty miles long. Damn. She'd probably have half the male population of their school trailing her if she'd worn this outfit during classes.

She had to yank her shirt over her head, feeling uneasy at the thought of wearing _this_ type of outfit.

Hinata's stomach suddenly tied into knots. It took a deep breath and an insurmountable amount of courage to coerce herself to walk out of their mansion and go to that party. If Hanabi wouldn't have come with her, she doubt that she'll even have the guts to leave her room tonight looking like this.

"Now let's go, sister." Hanabi said as she strutted towards the door.

_It's now or never._ Hinata thought.

* * *

The Hyuga sisters asked one of their bodyguards to give them a ride to Sakura's house.

At exactly 6 pm they arrived. The party was going to start at seven.

They have been informed that their father won't be back until tomorrow from his business trip, much to Hanabi's delight. So she asked the bodyguard to pick them up an hour before midnight before heading towards the front door of the Haruno residence.

"Not bad." Hanabi said as they got down from the ride.

While the Hyuga mansion was elegantly traditional, polished with wood and marble — the Haruno residence wasn't as big but it definitely screamed _fancy_. Sakura's house was entirely glass, looking out over a wide swimming pool deck with torches lighting the patio as the sound system boomed those popular party songs which sounded like every other.

"Well look who's here."

Sakura and Ino were full of glamour at the door, all ready and pumped for the upcoming party.

"H-Hi." Hinata said to them.

"Yes, we're here." Hanabi added.

"Not looking bad yourself, Hinata. Nice boots." Sakura flashed her a smile.

"Th-Thanks?" She wasn't sure on how to respond. A compliment coming from Sakura? _Really?_ At least she didn't call her a lesbian anymore.

"Want one?" Ino offered something peach coloured in a glass. The innocent Hinata didn't know what that drink was. "It's called vodka. In case you don't know what it is."

The pinkette giggled with the Yamanaka.

"I _know_ what vodka is." the younger Hyuga replied. "And no, I'm not having one … yet."

"Hanabi, _no_. You are _not_ drinking tonight." Hinata whipped her head towards her sister. Seriously? Is Hanabi planning on getting drunk because their father is away? She stared at her as if she never knew her little sister anymore. She's no longer the _little_ and innocent brat that she used to know.

"I hear you, Hanabi," Sakura said. "I hate getting wasted before everyone gets here. The party starts in an hour."

"Great! Care to show me around?" Hanabi eagerly said. The Yamanaka gestured her to come along with her and the two headed for the pool to where the loud music was coming from, leaving Hinata alone with Sakura.

"You." the Haruno pinkette pointed her manicured nail at Hinata.

Hinata flinched. "M-Me?"

"Hot rollers. Eye-liner. Lipstick. Now." said Sakura, dragging the Hyuga to her room to start her make-over.

* * *

Uzumaki Naruto made no move to leave his vehicle as they arrived at Sakura's house. He'd almost spent the entire week recovering from flu and he feared that going to a party like this might just bring the flu back.

"I don't even know why I'm here." he said.

"C'mon Naruto, don't be like that." said Choji. "I can smell mouthwatering pork ribs and barbecue from a mile away. They're cooking 'em inside!"

"Glutton." Shikamaru muttered as he got down from the car along with the other two.

"I just don't feel like being here." At _this_ party.

Naruto could see that the Haruno had invited the entire cheerleading squad and a few of his classmates who'd probably tease him about being an idiot.

But he couldn't stop thinking about Hyuga Hinata.

For the past couple of days, she didn't even text or call him. But why would he expect her to do that? She wasn't his girlfriend or anything. And he didn't even make a move to do the same, which was probably why she hadn't bothered trying to communicate with him.

_Or she probably wants me out of her life_. Naruto added in his head.

"Check them ladies out." Shikamaru nudged Naruto's elbow. "Troublesome, ey?"

"Whatever, man. I'll just stay here I guess." the blonde sighed.

"Dude, the _food_ is waiting for us!" Choji said. "They won't get in our stomachs themselves."

The Akimichi stormed inside the party, ready to devour all the food he could take inside the kitchen.

"I'm gonna go see Temari."

"Who's that?" Naruto turned to Shikamaru.

"Some chick I met from Sunagakure High during your basketball game last week." the Nara grinned. "She says she's here right now."

"Lucky bastard." the blonde lightly punched his friend's shoulder.

"See ya' around. Troublesome."

The three went on their separate ways, leaving the blonde Uzumaki all by himself.

* * *

Hinata sat alone in a darkened corner of a pool deck, wondering what her sister is probably doing right now.

She thought that Sakura was going to cut off her hair or throw her to the pool fully dressed. But the Haruno wrapped her hair in hot rollers and brushed makeup across her cheeks until she could no longer recognise herself in the mirror. Like her face now belonged to someone else.

Sakura actually did her makeup.

And ever since the party started, Sakura and Ino seemed to have forgotten about her existence.

Hinata tried to socialise with people. But as she approached a group, they'd stare at her in confusion as if she was some random stranger who got lost in the streets.

Besides, what would she talk about with them anyways? Then, she began to imagine :

_Hey guys, want to have an interesting discussion about the intricate elucidation of Newton's Laws of Motion?_

No. _Not a place for a nerd convention._ Hinata thought. That's absolutely abnormal to talk about in parties.

Everyone seemed to ignore her.

Including Hanabi. Her sister _ditched her_ of all the people. She did so when Hinata tried to talk her out of drinking alcohol. But Hanabi threw a fit and told her to stop acting like an innocent _Miss-Goody-Two-Shoes_.

"I just want to go home." Hinata sighed.

"You hate parties?" said a voice behind her.

She snapped her head around, her heart wishing for it to be Naruto. But no. Not him.

"Mind if I sit beside you?" he asked.

Hinata immediately recognised this guy. He was the guy who ridiculed Naruto during maths. _Inuzuka Kiba? _Was that his name?

Dark shaggy hair, looking wild — not really cute. He looked like the kind of guy who'd probably be smashing beer cans in his forehead later in the party.

"N-No. I d-don't mind." she shrugged, feeling her face flush at the awkwardness.

He sat beside her. Hinata allowed him since he didn't smell like smoke or alcohol, unlike most people in the party.

"What's your name? You somewhat look really familiar to me. Have we met before?" Kiba asked.

"H-Hyuga Hinata. Y-Yes, we've met before."

"No shit. You're the new girl from maths!" his eyes widened in recognition. "Is that really _you_? Shit, I didn't even recognise you. You look — different… in a stunning kind of way."

"Th-Thank you?" Her face was on fire.

"Hey," his voice teasing. "Someone as pretty as you shouldn't be alone in the party. Are you here with anyone?"

Kiba seemed closer to her all of a sudden, much to her surprise.

"My s-sister's with me."

"Oh I see."

Suddenly, he reached up to brush a thumb against her lips. Hinata froze. "_Wh-what is he doing?_" Kiba started running another finger from her left shoulder down to her elbow.

The next thing she knew, he strangled her.

* * *

As he entered the party, loud music and hubbub consumed his senses.

For about a second or two, Naruto had a fleeting hope that Hinata might actually be here. But _this_ wasn't exactly her kind of crowd. What would a shy and innocent Hyuga like her be doing with sociable, party animals? _That'd be the day_, he thought.

Yesterday, Sakura texted him some crap story about inviting Hinata so that they could all **'study together' **at the party. It was a joke, he knew. But his head hurt so much that he didn't bother replying to her text.

"Hey!"

He turned to the direction of the call.

"Sakura-chan." he greeted tediously.

"Come. Sit with me, Naruto." the pinkette patted the floor beside her.

Sakura sat on the floor in the corner of a dark room. _What is she doing here alone?_ The Haruno was holding a drink on one hand, another drink sat beside her on the floor. _Is she drunk?_

"Okay then." Naruto shrugged. Not like he was going somewhere in particular anyways.

The blonde sat on the floor beside Sakura.

"Here. Have one." she offered him the other drink on the floor. "I hope you're okay with lemon vodka."

"Thanks. It's alright." Naruto said, taking the drink.

To his surprise, Sakura leaned forward and closer to him. She positioned her body to sit on his lap, face-to-face with him. Her hips now straddled against his own. He could feel the warmth of her body carrying through the gauzy skirt she wore.

His eyes flicked up.

"What are you doing?" _Silly,_ rhetorical question.

"Sitting on your lap. What else?" she said, moving her face close to his. And as what he had expected, Sakura's breath smelled heavily of alcohol. The pinkette was clearly drunk.

Naruto stiffened. "Why?"

"I don't know. Don't you like it, naughty boy?" Sakura placed her drink on the floor beside her.

Suddenly, she grabbed his collar and started making out with him, biting his lips hungrily.

_Holy shit._ Naruto swore under his breath.

Haruno Sakura is kissing him. _No. No. No. This ain't right_. He pushed her away, parting their lips from each other. She tasted of alcohol.

He craned his head back. "S-Sakura-chan. Stop. Stop this." he whispered. "Don't —"

"Don't you want me? You've always tried asking me out, Naruto. Well, now is your chance." Sakura's voice was _slurred_, evident that she was drunk. "We can do _it_ here… in the dark… where no one can see_ us_." she whispered in his ear. "We'll have a _good time_. I'll make you feel like a man… Just both of _us_ here."

_The hell is she talking about?_ Who is this pinkette whispering dirty words into his ear? This isn't the normal Sakura. But no matter how great the temptation was, Naruto knew that to touch her or even make-out with her would be wrong. A sin. He knew better than to take advantage of this drunk Haruno.

"Make out with me, Naruto." The Haruno started kissing his neck, trailing wet smooches on his skin as he tried to force her off of him, but the pinkette was desperate.

_Fuck. _She'd probably give him a hickey at this rate."Jesus Christ, stop this. You're drunk as hell. This isn't the right thing to do Sak—"

Suddenly, something caught his eyes far beyond from where he is with Sakura.

_What's happening over there?_

Naruto ignored the sensation of Sakura's lips biting his nape.

Ino Yamanaka and the other girls from the cheerleading squad were standing alongside where the pool was. They had cell phones in their hands, probably taking pictures — or maybe a video — of some (couple?) writhing on the lounge.

The girls were giggling and making wolf whistles. Naruto couldn't make out what they were saying due to Sakura's moaning and the loud music.

There was some taller guy on top of a smaller girl in boots and a purple miniskirt wit black tights. He couldn't see her face behind the guy but the guy's arm was on her shoulder, pinning her against the ground. His hand went over her mouth. It looked like he was abusing her.

"Oh shit." The blonde swore after realising who it was.

He shoved the drunk Sakura away from him and bolted directly towards where the commotion alongside the pool deck was.

_Hinata-chan?!_


	13. Chapter 13 : Under The Starry Night Sky

**Beginning Song:** _"You and Me"_ by Lighthouse

**Ending Song:** _"Never Be The Same" by Red_

* * *

**Chapter Thirteen**

**Under The Starry Night Skies**

He arrived in time to find a chaotic scenery. The commotion attracted a small crowd of audience that stood alongside the pool deck to watch the scene unfolding before them.

"Get off of my sister, asshole!" Hanabi walked right up and kicked the Inuzuka right in the kidneys.

Kiba barely flinched. Hanabi was too small to hurt him.

But Naruto was not.

The blonde Uzumaki grabbed Kiba away from Hinata and slammed his face unto the concrete pavement close to the pool deck.

"You really are an asshole, Kiba." he sneered.

Kiba was laughing hysterically — as if he didn't seem to care that his head got smashed on concrete. But something was a bit off about him. As if he was on drugs or some shit. **_He looks high?_**_ Yeah. He is high. _Blood trickled down the left side of Kiba's forehead. But suddenly, he got up and charged towards Naruto.

He threw a punch on the Uzumaki's face.

Naruto lost his footing and fell. The Inuzuka took advantage of it and pinned the blonde on the ground. Kiba began beating the shit out of him, punching his face left and right. But after the third jab, Naruto was able to dodge his fist and countered by pinning the Inuzuka to the ground instead, reversing the situation.

"You PRICK." Naruto punched his left cheek. "Don't you fucking touch her!" Another punch to the right.

"I'd rather fuck Mother Teresa." Kiba's jaw swelled.

"Say that again you piece of shit!"

He punched to the left again.

"Dude, she's all deformed_ down there_." Kiba muttered as he coughed up blood.

_'Deformed'?_

What does he even mean by that? But Naruto ignored what he said and inflicted a relatively strong final blow on his face.

Damn. It probably gave Kiba a concussion and a broken nose. Kiba's face was a mess. Same as his. But the Inuzuka was now unconscious on the ground after Naruto's final blow knocked him out cold. He attempted to punch the out-cold Kiba one more time but a voice stopped him.

"Hey. Enough already." Shikamaru Nara was suddenly there beside him, trying to hold him off. "Kiba's high. He's not in his right mind."

Panting heavily, Naruto got off from Kiba and stood up. He turned towards the giggling girls who were filming the scene and heard Ino Yamanaka say,

"I got it all in my phone. Oh god, that was an amazing show! The best fifty bucks that I ever spent. Thanks, Kiba-kun!" she chortled like a maniac-bitch-whore. "Gosh girl, that was some intense drama. It deserves to be in the Oscar Awards." one of the cheerleaders added.

_They got him high and paid him to do this?!_ Naruto realised. His eyes jerked to the trembling figure in Hanabi's arms.

Hinata.

A million questions instantly flooded his mind. What is she doing here? How did Kiba end up almost raping her? But then it dawned on him. _They set her up_. A set up to make her look like a total slut. But what has Hinata done wrong to them?

He watched Hinata violently jerk her sister's arms off of her.

"Nee-chan, wait! Don't go!" Hanabi tried to stop her from walking away but to no avail.

Hinata slipped past him like he wasn't even there.

Naruto froze after seeing her face up close when she passed by. This Hinata tonight was barely even recognisable. She looked totally different than before with all that makeup on her face. But before he got the chance to grab her arm, Hinata stormed out of the party, unmindful of the small crowd that had their eyes all over her whilst she ran away.

His head snapped towards Ino.

"Fuck you, bitch." He was about to lunge forth the Yamanaka. But a hand suddenly grabbed his arm.

"Naruto._ Naruto_." It was Shikamaru. "Go after Hinata. I'll take care of the rest." The blonde knew exactly what the Nara meant by 'taking care'.

Naruto wasn't even sure that he was still conscious after he lost his cool and went on full wrath. Christ, he couldn't even remember the last time he got that angry on someone. His blood was still boiling, the red liquid dripping on his eyebrow and bruised jaws.

"Take all their phones. Break them." Shikamaru ordered Choji and his other gang of friends. "Make sure no one gets away with it." They started seizing the girls' phones away.

The Uzumaki's eyes turned towards Hanabi who stood two metres away from him — frozen.

"Hanabi." Naruto approached her.

She was mute. Traumatised.

"Ring up your driver and go home. Do you have a phone? You shouldn't stay here." he said gently.

Hanabi nodded, still shocked and speechless.

"Go home, okay? I'll go after your sister." Naruto assured her and gave her a gentle pat on her shoulder.

There was nothing much to say.

Naruto flashed a '_thank you'_ look to Shikamaru before digging his hands into his pockets and searched for his car keys. After he found them, there's only one thing left to do.

He ran after Hinata.

Naruto caught up to Hinata in Sakura's front yard. She was about to leave through the gate — crying, stumbling and her hands on her face.

He caught her by the arm. "Hinata-chan, let me —"

She suddenly spun, her fists slammed into his chest without batting an eye on him. Despite being non-athletic, her hit was quiet strong.

"God, j-just leave me alone. P-Please, Naruto-kun." Her sobbing was almost uncontrollable.

"Let me take you somewhere else. Far away from here." Naruto offered. "Or do you wanna to go home? I'll drive you home if —"

"G-Go away! Leave m-me alone… I w-want to be left alone." she whimpered, shaking his hand off of her arm. "I w-want to be alone…"

Hinata was struggling against him, reminding Naruto of the way she fought off Kiba a while ago. That asshole Inuzuka forced himself on her but she fended him off. Worst would've happened if he hadn't arrived on time to save her life… again.

"I c-can't go home. N-Not l-looking like this." she said.

So he let her arm go.

"Then come with me. I will never leave you _alone_. Not after what just happened." God, his voice was breaking.

"It's always m-my fault." she sobbed.

"What are you talking about?"

"Y-You're always in t-trouble because of me. I — I shouldn't have come to this— this s-stupid party. _I shouldn't even be your friend _!" She jumped and whimpered, shaking.

The air felt sharp, sparking with tension. He could kill Sakura and Ino right now. Hell, he could've thrown the whole cheerleading squad into the pool a while ago. It would've been satisfying to watch those bitches drown.

But for now Naruto could only do one thing.

He pulled her closer to him and wrapped his arms around her in a comforting tight embrace, waiting for her sobbing to subside.

And Hinata didn't resist him.

The sobbing Hyuga buried her face in his chest instead. His body felt so warm against her own. The body contact with her hero made her feel safe and secure. She clung unto him tighter, not letting go for a long time. It's the first time ever that a guy offered her to cry on his shoulders, a feeling that she'll never forget.

"Don't you _ever _say that you shouldn't be my friend."

Naruto whispered softly as he let his lips linger on the surface of her forehead whilst they hug.

He felt her body stiffen.

"I've got no regrets that you became part of this fucked up life of mine."

Silence was her response. She was listening.

So he continued. "No matter how many times I'd get the shit beaten out of me, I'll gladly do it over and over again if it means to protect _you_. So cut the crap already because none of this is your fault. And it will never be. Believe it, Hinata-chan_._"

He let go of the her once he felt the sobbing stop. Naruto gazed into her white, innocent sockets with his ocean blue eyes. He couldn't completely make out her the finer details of her countenance due to the darkness of the night, but he was sure of one thing: _Hyuga Hinata is blushing_.

"C'mon. There's this beautiful place that I want to show you. Just you and me."

"It's 'you and _I'_." Hinata corrected his grammar.

"Grammar Nazi." Naruto made a face to her.

And at last, he saw her lips bend into a smile.

God, he missed her smile so much.

* * *

Hinata followed him down the road to find his car. But to her surprise, it wasn't the same vehicle that Naruto usually drives.

It was an SUV instead.

"Where's your other car, Naruto-kun?" she asked.

"My car broke down yesterday. I borrowed this one from my old man." Naruto gestured her to get in the car with him. "This one's a little more expensive than the one I that have in repair." he chuckled.

She hopped inside the vehicle and had her belt buckled as she watched him start the engine.

Naruto stepped on the accelerator and headed downtown. It's been a long time since he has gone to this so-called 'secret place' of his. He didn't quiet have a clear destination in his mind on how to get there, but he was sure as hell that Hinata can't go home yet. And taking her to his apartment is _not_ a valid option either. What would Jiraiya say to him about bringing a girl home at late night?

But as he drove, he couldn't help but feel the weight of Hinata's eyes on his face. She was staring at him in a way that he stared at her before during Maths.

"What's wrong with my face?" he glanced at her as he kept on driving.

"It has blood everywhere." she said.

"You don't say." Naruto smiled at her with a bloody face. _Creepy smile_. But in a cute kind of way. Hinata could feel her cheeks burning once more.

He turned back to the road and stopped when the traffic lights turned red. From his peripheral vision, he could see Hinata searching for something in the dashboard of his car. Naruto couldn't help but turn to her again.

"What are you looking for, Hinata-chan?"

"I suppose you have a First Aid kit here somewhere?" she asked while hunting for bandages, plasters or gauze pads inside the dashboard. Anything that can clean Naruto's wounds.

"What for?" he lifted an eyebrow. The answer was obvious but he just wanted to keep a conversation going between them.

"So that I can clean your wounds, Naruto-kun."

"I think there's one there on the other side." he pointed at something. "I'm sure my old man keeps one in every car that he's had since then."

After a while, she spoke. "Found it."

"Seriously, don't worry about me, ya' know. I'm totally fine. You shouldn't bother —"

_BEEP! BEEP!_

The lights had already turned green, Naruto failed to notice. It earned him road rage from a couple of drivers on the cue behind him.

"Just drive." she said. "I'll clean your face while you do. This is all that I can do to repay you."

"_Repay_ me? But you don't have to. Didn't I make it clear a while ago that this isn't your fault? You don't owe me debts, Hinata-chan."

"Please. Let me take care of you, Naruto-kun." Hinata pleaded as she got out cotton balls out from the first aid kit.

He couldn't help but grin. "Thanks."

She extended an arm, shifting herself closer to him so that she could wipe the blood off of his face. Naruto focused himself to concentrate on driving, but the proximity of their faces made it hard to do a very simple task. Hinata's face was like a magnetic field, pulling his eyes so that he kept glancing at her every once in a while.

"Ow. That hurts." he whined.

"S-Sorry." Hinata apologised and continued to clean his face with cotton.

"Just kidding." Naruto laughed. "I tricked you."

Hinata suddenly pressed harder on an obvious bruise on his forehead.

"SHIT! Okay, _that_ really hurts now." Naruto winced in pain. "You're not supposed to hurt your patients, doc. That's not nice."

"Won't your parents freak out if they see you like this? All bloody and injured?" she asked.

"I'd probably freak out if I see _them_." he retorted.

_Parents?_ Now this topic's getting really interesting. Considering that he's got no idea about what having _real_ parents feel like.

"F-Freak out? Why?" the Hyuga wondered.

But he didn't answer her question.

"We're here now." he stopped the car.

* * *

Naruto parked the SUV on some crap pavement in the middle of a deserted lot beside a huge sign that says '**NO TRESPASSING**'. He killed the engine and both got down from the vehicle.

"Won't we get in trouble if we go there, Naruto-kun?" the worried Hinata asked.

"Don't worry. They just put that sign up to keep fishermen away from the lake. It's an abandoned public park, in case you haven't figured that out yet."

"But it's closed." she said, referring to the fences.

"There's always a way in. Come on." Naruto grabbed her hand and led her close to where the fences were situated. "My old man and I used to go down here to fish. No one visits this place anymore."

Carefully, Naruto helped Hinata get towards the other side of the fence by boosting her up. Then, he followed her and climbed the barrier to get to the other side by himself. His brief parkour on climbing the tall fence reminded him of the Assassin's Creed. God, he was proud of his athleticism.

"Welcome to my secret paradise." Naruto said.

_No kidding._ Hinata's eyes widened at such a wonderful scenery.

It was a starry night sky but there were fireflies alongside the overgrown shrubs in a garden close to the lake that lit the place up. Another source of light came from the distant industrial plants across the lake before them and the moonlight glow that reflected on the surface of the lake.

"What do you think?" he turned to the Hyuga.

"It's beautiful, Naruto-kun."

"Let's go sit over there."

He pointed towards the grassy clearing close to the body of water. The blonde looked at the Hyuga and he could see the fascination on her face as her eyes explored the surroundings.

"You brought along the first aid kit. Why?" he noticed.

"Oh yes," she opened the kit and got out plasters and gauze pads. "I— I was planning on covering up your wounds. Some of them could get infected if you leave them open."

"Then I'm all yours now, doc."

She suddenly stiffened at the comment. But she went back to normal again and shifted herself closer to him so that she can start bandaging his cuts and bruises.

"Can I ask you something, Hinata-chan?"

"Anything, Naruto-kun." said Hinata, moving closer to his face so that she could place the bandaid properly. She could hear his steady breathing now.

"What were you doing at the party?" he asked. "I thought you don't like Sakura and Ino."

"Th-They … tricked me into going."

"They _tricked_ you? Exactly how?"

He heard her sigh. "It's n-not important, Naruto-kun."

"C'mon. You can tell me. I won't judge. In fact, I think I might actually kill them if I find out that they forced you. Did they?"

"No. Hold still." she said.

Hinata's hand cupped his chin to position one of the bandaids on one corner of his eyebrow. That was where Kiba hit him hard. But wow, her fingers were so soft, so delicate. Naruto could feel her skin on his face. It was the skin of someone who doesn't do manual labour at all. _Rich girls._ He thought.

_God, she's so beautiful._ He admired Hinata as the moonlight struck her flawless face. But something was missing. Or rather — something's _not_ supposed to be there on that face. _The heavy makeup._

"Hinata-chan. Wait."

Naruto grabbed her arm gently, noticing her flinch at his touch. He took one of the tissues from her hand and began wiping the makeup off her face.

Her eyes flicked up. "N-Naruto-kun? What are you—"

"Don't worry. I'm just wiping your makeup off."

"Wh-Why?"

"You look a hundred times better without all the artwork on your face ya' know. I've always preferred to see your — natural beauty." he chuckled.

_Natural beauty?_ Hinata could feel her pulse start racing again. She could probably pass out right now. Yes, she could faint and have this blonde jock take care of her. She could feel his hand caressing her face. Naruto's hand was no longer wiping her makeup off, but he was just letting his fingers roam around her skin. Feeling her.

She shuddered. Not because of the cold.

"There. All done." Naruto withdrew his hand and threw the tissue away.

"Th-Thank you."

"No. Thank _you_, Hinata-chan. You treated my wounds." he flashed her a smile. "I mean seriously, I could've died of blood loss, am I right doc?"

Hinata laughed inwardly at the joke as she placed the First Aid Kit beside her and stared at the lake. Her laughter. Sweet music to his ears. They both sat side-by-side. And i was going to be an awkward silence, if not for the crickets and frogs that sang in the distance.

"Oh, I know. Let's play a game."

"A game?" she whipped her head towards him.

"Truth or dare. What do you say?"

"I've n-never played that before." Hinata blushed, her eyes dropped.

"Kids play that when they're nine, Hinata-chan." he teased her. "I'll start._Truth_."

"I d-don't know how to play this game, Naruto-kun."

_Is she serious? _Naruto leaned in and whispered on her ear, his warm breath on the surface of her skin. Once again, he noticed her shiver. It wasn't that cold tonight. But whatever.

"The name of the game might be a giveaway."


	14. Chapter 14 : Truth Or Dare

**Beginning Song:** _"You and Me"_ by Lighthouse

**Ending Song:** _"Never Be The Same" by Red_

* * *

**Chapter Fourteen**

**Truth Or Dare**

"Truth. Now ask me a question." Naruto said.

"_Any _type of question?" Hinata glanced at him.

"Yeah. Any. You get a question and I get a question. That's the rule if you choose _Truth_." he explained. "So go ahead."

A thousand questions burned her lips, eager to be said. Now was her golden opportunity to get to know this blonde Uzumaki even more, as what Sakura had so eloquently said back when she invited her to the party. Then, she remembered her question that remained unanswered by him a while ago.

"Y-You said something a while ago," she went on carefully. "Something about freaking out if you see your parents. I d-didn't quiet get what you meant by that."

"Oh. _That_." Naruto shrugged. "Good question. Truth is, I've never actually met my parents before. My _real_ parents I mean. They are either dead or they just don't give a crap about me. So yeah, I don't really care about knowing who they are. I've got my old man Jiraiya and he's enough family for me." he took in a deep breath. "Christ, this sounds _lame_. Sorry if I'm boring you, Hinata-chan."

"N-No! Don't be sorry. I — I get it, Naruto-kun." Hinata bit her lips. "I should be the one apologising for bringing this up. I didn't mean to —"

"Your turn." he interrupted.

Her lips moved at once. "Truth."

Naruto turned around and looked at her, his blue eyes piercing and sharp as he met her gaze. He moved himself closer to her, their elbows now touching. For a seconds, she regretted not choosing _Dare_ instead.

"What on earth made you go to that party?" he asked, his voice almost a whisper. "I didn't recognise you at first, ya' know. I was like thirty feet away and I thought I saw two people making out and —"

"W-We weren't making out, Naruto-kun. I just thought that he was nice at first. He didn't look drunk so I allowed him to sit next to me." Hinata corrected him.

"Couldn't you tell that he was stoned? That asshole reeked of weed from four feet away. He was high as shit."

"H-How am I supposed to know when someone's on drugs?" she snapped, defensive. "I — I don't even know what cocaine smells like, let alone recognise someone who's high."

_Right. Homeschooled girl._ Naruto had to remind himself again that Hinata's an innocent angel who knew nothing much about the outside world. But the way she's dressed right now made him forget about those facts. Tonight, she looked like a stunning model who happened to just emerge from one of those fashion magazines and became real.

"Look, I'm not saying that it's your fault, HInata-chan."

"I should've known better. It's _my_ fault, Naruto-kun."

"No it's not." he sighed. "God, I hate him. I should probably break his neck once we go back to school on Monday. What do ya' say, Hinata-chan?"

"You already broke his nose." she added.

Naruto nudged at her, making her blush at his playfulness. Hinata nudged back. They both laughed.

There is just something about this Uzumaki that drew her closer to him. Perhaps it's because she saw him as a hard-to-read book. One moment, he'd be serious — the next thing, he'd be playful. And in all honesty, Naruto was handsome to begin with. Those two reasons combined probably sums it all up.

"Still, you haven't answered my question yet. About why you were there in the first place."

Hinata's palms started sweating. What should she tell him? If only he knew. If only he knew that "he" himself was the very reason why she was there. But she doubt that he'd realise that.

_Well, I was there because I knew you'd be there, Naruto-kun. I couldn't stop thinking about you. And maybe I should also mention that I want you to put your arms around me again. Or maybe even ask me out on a date?_ _But that would just make me look like a typical bitch._

Jesus, she'd sound so desperate if she'd actually say that. Who was she kidding?

But it was the truth — the sad, sweet truth about why she sacrificed going to a party and attempt to socialise with people who saw her as nothing more than a nerd who doesn't even have a place in any social group.

And there's NO way that she'd tell him that.

"It's stupid." Hinata pushed a curled strand of hair back from her face. "M-My mother. She always wanted me to be like _those_ girls. So she bought me expensive clothes and got me into modelling, hoping that I'll get exposed to the world and gain some self-confidence. She always wanted me to get invited into parties like those. But then —" she suddenly stopped herself.

"Then what?" Naruto flicked his eyes up.

"N-Nothing." Hinata hesitated.

"So, let me get this straight. You went to that party in order to please your mother's expectations? Trying to be the 'perfect daughter' I assume?"

"But I'm not perfect." she said. "I choose not to be. And it's because I _cannot_ be."

Cold, night breeze suddenly blew from the lake to the surface. The blonde noticed the Hyuga's body shiver after the cold air swept past them.

"Man, it's getting cold isn't it?" Naruto stood up. "You know what, I'm gonna go get the fleece blanket in the car." He leaned closer to her after he patted her shoulder. She shivered again. "Just wait for me here, alright? I'll be back before you know it."

"I won't go anywhere." Hinata assured him.

* * *

Five minutes passed.

And it had her worried.

Hinata thought that he left her already, but he didn't. Naruto came back not only with a fleece blanket in his hand. He was also carrying two steaming cups of hot chocolate and a wad of serviettes along with him, much to her surprise.

"Here ya' go." Naruto gave her a cup of hot chocolate. "There's Starbucks right across the road. So I thought of buying us something hot to drink for the night."

"Th-Thank you, Naruto-kun. It's nice of you."

After she received the cup, a heavy fleece blanket slung over her shoulder, covering her back. The Uzumaki had placed the blanket around her to protect her from the cold crisp air of the full moon night. It was romantic, and she suddenly felt her cheeks on fire.

"Where's your blanket?" asked Hinata.

"Nah, I'm okay. Don't worry about me, Hinata-chan." Naruto sat beside her. He held his cup of hot chocolate with both hands like a cute little boy. "So, where were we again? Who's turn?"

"It's your turn now." she took a quick sip from the cup.

"Okay. Dare." his voice was challenging.

Suddenly, a lovely imagination flashed across Hinata's mind. _I dare you to kiss me, Naruto-kun_. The Hyuga thought. It took her a few seconds to come up with a dare for this blonde Uzumaki beside her.

"I dare you to … share this blanket with me."

"That's it?" Naruto almost dropped his hot chocolate.

_Oh god, what was I thinking?_ She panicked. Out of all the things that she could make him do, sharing her blanket with him was what came out of her mouth.

"Well," he opened the lid of his cup. "It's cold out here. Why not. Let's just hope that we don't rip it then."

Naruto chuckled. He moved close to her after placing his cup in front of him. She gave Naruto the other end of the blanket for them to share its warmth.

The fleece blanket wrapped them both around in a warm embrace. Their body heat and the warmth provided by the blanket proved to be effective in dealing against the cold breeze. And Hinata couldn't help but feel her cheeks on fire as Naruto shared the blanket with her.

"Are you comfortable, Hinata-chan?" he asked, pulling the covers tighter around them. "You can tell me if you're not. I'll move away."

"I'm — I'm c-comfortable, Naruto-kun." _More than comfortable in-fact_. Hinata added in her head. God, she could pass out any time soon if not for the aroma of this cup of hot chocolate that's keeping her mind conscious and thinking properly.

"Your turn." the Uzumaki held his cup again with both hands before drinking.

"T-Truth."

No way she's going to choose _Dare_. She's not getting out of this blanket at all costs. Not now. She chose to enjoy this moment being together in the same blanket with the blonde.

"Why did Kiba say that you were … 'deformed'?"

_Deformed?_ Had Kiba really gone that far? She couldn't remember where he managed to touch her when she struggled to fend him off. It all happened too fast.

"Because I … I've got … I've got **stitches and scars** all the way up to the left side of my body. It's the very reason why I stopped my modelling career." said Hinata.

"How'd you get those scars?" He glanced at her with widened eyes at the revelation.

And so she began to recall :

"When I was little, my father used to take me along with him to some of his business trips. He says that since I am his eldest daughter, I'll be inheriting the family business one day, that's why I have to start learning about business trips at an early age." she explained.

"Whoa. Rich girl responsibilities, huh."

Naruto grinned. But then he stopped teasing her once he realised the gravity of her story.

"Anyways," she continued. "I couldn't remember most of the trips we had except for the day when we went to Oto. We were in a luxury ship at that time when suddenly, a shooting broke out. People started screaming and I was with my bodyguard during that time, eating lunch. My bodyguard told me to '_Get down_' and so I hid under the table as he started shooting someone."

Naruto took a sip. "Who was he shooting at?"

"I … I couldn't remember, Naruto-kun. All I know was that my bodyguard got shot and he died." her breathing rate was getting faster. "Th-Then I remember someone grab me from under the table all of a sudden. I was taken hostage."

"_Hostage_?" the blonde asked.

She nodded. "I couldn't exactly recall what was happening around me at that time, but all I know was that the man who took me hostage had a knife with him. I struggled to break free from him. So I bit his arm that was strangling me. Then he … he used the knife and cut through my flesh in a slice. After that, I blacked out. Of blood loss they said." She took in a deep breath. "And that's how I got my scars."

Hinata glanced at Naruto, and she noticed that he had been staring at her for the entire time without blinking at all. Like he was watching an intense action movie unfold before his eyes.

"I've never heard _this_ story before. I mean — wow. You must've had pretty rough days back then. Despite being a rich little girl." It was all that the blonde Uzumaki could say.

"My father isn't always like … like the way he was with you when you first met. He went through a lot after what happened to me back then." she said, drinking the last sip of her hot chocolate before putting it away. "My mother got angry with him for taking me on that luxury ship where I became hostage. She tried to make a perfect daughter out of of a _freak_. And she kept blaming my father all the time for what happened. That's why she chose to stay away from us and volunteered in far away places."

Tears were starting to well out of her eyes. God, it's been the second time in one night that she had to cry in front of someone. This _game_ was making her all emotional. Bringing back bad memories.

"You're not a freak, Hinata-chan."

"I am… I'm a n-nerd and a s-stuttering freak."

Naruto threw his cup away and placed his arms around the weeping Hyuga. He could feel her shoulders tightening and he could also hear her sobbing. The blonde started cursing himself for making her play this game.

"You are _not_ a freak. You hear me? To hell with those bastards who say that." he said while rubbing her back to comfort her. "Sshhh, don't cry now."

"I'll n-never be their p-_perfect_ daughter."

She kept telling herself to move on and forget about it. It's not like she hasn't been living with these scars for years. _Years._ And after all these years she felt guilty, as if she did something wrong. It wasn't until the incident that she was forced to stop modelling and wearing all those stupid bikinis and spaghettis. She wanted to wear one to please her mother, but then she'd remind herself to be ashamed of her scars and stitches.

And so she's been hiding her scars since then, in exchange for looking like a total _lesbian_ who never wore anything that revealed her skin.

"Hey." said Naruto. "Hey look at me."

But she kept her face buried in his chest.

"Hey, Hinata-chan. Look at _me_."

He cupped her chin and lifted her face up. His blue eyes stared deep into her white, beautiful sockets where tears were welling up, like he really meant what he was about to say next.

"You." he paused, fumbling for words. "You are the most _perfect_ _imperfection_ that I've ever met in my entire life. You're nice, beautiful, smart and you're a good cook. You shouldn't let anyone in this world make you feel any lesser. And your scars and stitches don't make you who you are, Hinata-chan. You are _perfect_ just the way _you_ are"

"B-But I'm just —"

But without any warning, she felt warm lips press against her own.

Uzumaki Naruto kissed her.

* * *

**Cue Music: **_"You and Me"_ by Lighthouse

* * *

She expected him to be aggressive, but Naruto was gentle, parting her lips in a slow, rhythmic motion. He brushed her tongue gently and bit her lower lip. His hands slid up her arms to find her face and his fingers tangling her hair as she fell into the deep, sweet seduction of his kiss.

_Oh_. So this was what all the fuss was about.

His lips taste of hot chocolate.

And after a minute or so, their lips parted for air.

"I'm s-sorry, Hinata-chan. I should've waited for you to … I mean I should've waited." Naruto's voice was rough.

"I'm glad you didn't."

Her breath stumbled when she said those words. Immediately, she felt her cheeks burn in intense fire.

"I've always wanted to kiss you, ya' know." He smiled. His arms were now around her waist as he struggled to keep the blanket wrapped around both of them.

_Oh god. _"S-Since when?" her eyes now dried of tears.

"Since the day you fixed my test." Naruto nuzzled her nose, making her giggle like a little girl.

He kissed her again, passionately. Hinata let out a light moan as Naruto's tongue roamed across her lips, asking for permission to enter. And she granted his wish, opening her mouth for him to deepen their kiss.

What is she doing?_ Sharing kisses and secrets with this blonde Uzumaki? _She asked herself.

"I love you, Hinata-chan." he said after their lips parted.

"Then tell me what love is."

Naruto's head titled to one side of her and took her earlobe into his mouth, sending electrical impulses down her spine.

"Love." His lips went from her earlobe up to her neck, "Is when bells ring," His mouth trailed up her jawbone, "Fireworks go off in your head," He kissed her cheek, "And you can't find the words to speak," Her eyes. "When you think about her _all_ the time," then back to her lips as he spoke. "You know you love her by just staring deeply into her eyes." He planted a brief kiss on her nose and let his forehead touch her own. "Her perfect, beautiful, white sockets."

Two foreheads against each other as they shared their breath.

"I love you too, Naruto-kun." Her lips bent into a smile.

He kissed her one more time. "God, you're just so beautiful. I can't help it."

"Stop flattering me."

"I'm serious." Another kiss on the lips. "You want me to stop kissing you?"

"No."

Hinata always rolled her eyes in Health Class whenever they would start talking about hormones in your body getting out of control. But right now, she could barely even remember her name, let alone move a muscle.

His kisses were addictive. Like a drug.

"Just tell me if you feel like going home." Naruto lifted his forehead away from hers and allowed her to rest her head on his shoulder. "I'll drop you off."

"But I want to stay with you."

"Really?" his eyebrow raised.

"Besides, father's not home." she said innocently.

_Oh. Not home._ Naruto had to stop his head from thinking of dirty thoughts about parents not being home at his girlfriend's house. God, they've been in a relationship in like what…_ two minutes ago_? His boyish thoughts escalated quickly. But he knew better than to do that. He wasn't some kind of thug player who'd screw with everything that has a skirt on.

"Hey."

"Hmm?" Hinata moved her head down to his chest, listening to his heartbeat.

"I love you." he said.

"I love you, too."

"No, I love _you_."

"Naruto-kun …" She poked his tummy playfully.

"Seriously," he wrapped an arm around her hips and pulled her closer towards him. "I don't want to stop saying it." He kissed her forehead.

"Let's just stay like this for a while." said Hinata.

And so they did.

Being with Naruto felt like the moonlight was tangible, as if a blanket of warmth and an electrifying sensation smothered her thoughts. She could hear the rhythm of his heartbeat, beating steadily as she lay on his chest. The feeling of their bodies touching blocked out the sounds made by the frogs and crickets alongside the lake, consuming her senses.

The touch, the sound, the smell, everything was coming from this blonde Uzumaki as both cuddled together by the fleece blanket — just enjoying each other's company and having no care of the world like there was no tomorrow.

After half an hour or so, Hinata's phone beeped.

"It's probably your sister." Naruto said.

With a sigh, she removed the blanket around her and got her phone out from the pocket in her skirt.

_Hanabi indeed_.

**Nee-chan, are you ok?**

She typed fast.

**Yes. I'm with Naruto-kun.**

Hanabi's response was quick as usual.

**Father will be home from the airport in an hour. You should come home now.**

_What?_ But they were told that Hiashi won't be home until tomorrow morning.

Suddenly, Naruto crawled towards her and rested his chin on her left shoulder. He gave her a light kiss on her cheek before putting his arms around her waist, making her shiver at his kisses and touches. He was reading the text message on her phone.

"I see." he whispered. "I better give you a ride home."

Hinata sighed. "It's getting late." She held out an arm to touch his face.

**11:05 PM**.

That was the time on her phone.

"Are you doing anything tomorrow Saturday?" Naruto caressed her arms and traced his fingers down her fingertips, gently sending electric bolts down what's in-between her thighs.

"I don't think so. Why?" said Hinata.

Then, he whispered on her ear. "Because I need a maths tutor." He said. Loud and clear.


	15. Chapter 15 : Hate at First Sight

**Beginning Song:** _"You and Me"_ by Lighthouse

**Ending Song:** _"Never Be The Same" by Red_

* * *

**Chapter Fifteen**

**Hate At First Sight**

Morning.

Her phone chimed, vibrating its way across the table beside the sleeping Hyuga's bed.

A text message. Her alarm clock for the day.

Hinata picked it up without any second thoughts after her eyes fluttered open. Her heart screamed of _Naruto-kun_ once she checked her phone.

Saturday morning couldn't start off any better. Her mind was still fresh from last night's drama and she couldn't help but feel her face flush red once his name popped up on the text message.

**Good morning beautiful ****:)**

_A smiley? _She bit her lips and blushed. Hinata stretched herself in bed whilst typing her reply.

**Were you serious last night? About Maths?**

She held her breath, waiting for his response. But instantly, he replied.

**Absolutely serious.**

* * *

Uzumaki Naruto was already up, preparing cereal for breakfast at the table while texting. One of his hands clutched the phone tightly, waiting for Hinata's response as he took in one spoonful of cereal using the other.

It was only eight hours ago that he was in the throes of passion with the ever-angelic Hyuga Hinata — playing _Truth or Dare_ and kissing, cuddling together in a warm fleece blanket with a cup of hot chocolate. Just two new lovers enjoying the beautiful romantic evening until Hanabi's text message interrupted their cuddling last night.

Damn interruptions.

Hinata's response took twenty agonising seconds. But it was worth the wait.

**Father isn't home.**

_Oh. _Naruto smiled.

**Is that an invitation? ;)**

Once again, another lengthy pause.

**No. He won't let boys in the house without his permission. Sorry.**

_Right._ _As if. _His smile faded.

Her father probably assigned snipers on the roof, ready to shoot Naruto on sight once he takes a single step inside the Hyuga mansion.

He was about to type up something, but his phone instantly chimed before he got the chance to.

**Maybe we can study at your place?**

_Here?! In my apartment?!_ He almost dropped his phone on the bowl.

_NO. Definitely __not__ an option._

"Who's Hinata?"

Jiraiya suddenly appeared from behind him, reading the text message over his shoulder.

Naruto choked on his cereal.

"Jesus," the blonde coughed up. "What the hell is wrong with you?!" He reached out for the carton of milk and drank some to clear his throat, "You shouldn't scare me like that! And she's none of your business."

"What? I wasn't sneaking up on you." Jiraiya was already in his business suit as he walked towards the fridge to grab some tuna sandwich that he made last night.

"Where exactly are you going in that get-up?"

"Work." he said.

"But it's Saturday." his voice was questioning.

"I know." Jiraiya sat on a chair opposite to Naruto on the table, reading a newspaper while munching his sandwich. "Tsunade was kind enough to give me an extra day. You know what weekend work means — _double _pay. More money to pay for rent."

"Wait. You're not taking the car with you, are you?" the blonde got up from the chair and placed his empty cereal bowl on the sink.

"I am. How am I supposed to get to work without it?"

_Shit._ The blonde cursed himself with a deep sigh. He strode towards the living room and slouched heavily on one of the sofas. He grabbed his phone and quickly swiped his thumbs across the letters.

**My old man's taking the car to work :( I can't pick you up.**

It took half a minute before the Hyuga texted back.

**It's ok. I can have someone drop me off. Where do you want to meet up?**

* * *

Hinata had never been to any ordinary restaurants before such as this one now:

_The Ichiraku's Ramen Restaurant._

An odd choice for a place to study.

But it was Naruto's choice to meet up here.

Plus, she'd also love to experience new things as well. Her father would usually take their family to dine in one of those classy and exorbitant restaurants which served food that probably costed as much as some people's week's worth of salary. Luckily, there were no other customers except them and the owners of the place seem to know Naruto pretty well considering the fact that he works here. As a result, they were allowed to use one of the tables for their study date.

"C'mon Naruto-kun, you can do it." said Hinata with encouragement.

She watched Naruto glare blankly at his maths textbook as they both sat in one of the tables beside each other. The blonde had a blank piece of paper in front of him with a sharpened pencil clenched in between his fingers.

And a _murderous expression _on his face_._

"You can't hate Math that much, can you?" she leaned close to his shoulders to check on what he was working on.

"Trust me. I can." he glanced up and gave her a quick kiss on her cheek. "You hungry, Hinata-chan? I can order us some food. I've got free ramen coupons."

"I'm fine, Naruto-kun. I just want you to quit stalling."

"_Stalling_? Look, I'm not —"

"Yes, you are." she interrupted.

It's been five minutes already and the blonde Uzumaki still hasn't written anything on the paper in front of him. He had been wasting his time talking to her and stealing kisses at every chance that he'd get.

His voice dropped. "Well, I feel sorry for you — for having such an _idiotic _boyfriend to begin with."

"Don't say that. You're _not_ an idiot, Naruto-kun."

Hinata took the pencil from his hand and started writing equations on the blank paper in front of him.

"All you need is practice and someone to guide you along the way. Maths can't be _that_ threatening."

"What are you writing, Hinata-chan?" The blonde reached out an arm around her waist whilst resting his head on her shoulder.

Her face felt warm.

"It's the Cosine Rule." she felt his arm pulling her waist closer towards him.

This whole 'intimacy thing' was still new to her.

But there's always gotta be a first time for everything. Right now she can't seem to figure out whether Naruto was even listening to her whilst she explained this whole trig stuff, or if his mind was wandering off in _Lala-Land_ on a fantasy journey.

"There's only t-ten more questions to go." she said, breathless. "I'll help you work through these and w-we can go hang out and d-do other stuff afterwards, Naruto-kun." God, the last bit sounded serious.

_Other stuff?_ Now that woke him up.

He grinned but sighed in disappointment as he lifted his head away from her shoulder and glared back at the math papers in front of him.

_Oh yeah, can I please buy one of those napkins that cost about y = $27x — 9/3? Thanks._

No. Seriously. _Who needs this shit?_

It's not like he'd be using algebra in real life any time soon. He glared at the papers like he wanted to set them on fire so badly. Or he could probably use these maths stuff as tissue paper so that he could just wipe them off his ass goodbye.

But no.

For Hinata's sake. And his own.

The first question took an unbelievable fifteen minutes to work through, enough to cook at least five instant noodles at the given time. It would've taken double the amount of time, if not for Hinata who helped him get through the struggle. Naruto was missing the fundamentals that he's supposed to have covered in basic Algebra. It was like trying to teach English to someone who has never heard of English before. And as the blonde got more frustrated, he started randomly transposing numbers, much to Hinata's disappointment and confusion.

It made her wonder if her boyfriend actually has a learning disability.

The second problem took ten minutes.

_Progress._

And after about half-an-hour, they've managed to work through seven problems out of ten. By the time Naruto was about to start solving the eight problem on the paper, Hinata reached out and slammed the textbook shut.

"But we're not finished yet, Hinata-chan."

He glanced up like he was suddenly super interested in doing more maths.

"Time for a break. You're improving really well, Naruto-kun and you deserve some rest." She suddenly leaned closer to his face and planted a kiss on his cheek.

Naruto grinned. "Was that a reward just now?"

"You'll be Einstein in no time." she smiled and gave him playful poke on his chest.

He stood up from his seat and stretched.

"God, I'm so hungry that I could definitely finish six bowls of miso ramen. I'm gonna go order some. What ramen do you like, Hinata-chan? I've got free coupons here."

"I'll have whatever you're having." she replied.

"Alright, I'll be back in two minutes! Wait here."

* * *

He padded off towards the cashier to take their order. Naruto's sneakers scuffed on the overly mopped and sanitary floors of the Ramen Restaurant. Teuchi Ichiraku was on duty and the old man took his order for him.

"Hey Naruto," Teuchi leaned in and whispered. "Is she your girlfriend?"

"Uh — yeah. Why?" As usual, this old man loved to pry into his business. But he was like his second father after all.

"Nothing." he glanced at the Hyuga then back to the blonde Uzumaki. "She's the first girl that I've seen you bring here. She must be very special, isn't she?"

"She's one of a kind. Believe it." the blonde winked.

"Meals are on the house today." Teuchi punched him lightly on the shoulders. "Good luck with your date."

"Thanks, old man."

"Here you go. Enjoy."

Naruto took the two bowls of ramen each one on separate hands, _really, really _carefully in a **supercalifragilisticexpialidociously **cautious kind of way so that they won't spill. He balanced them like he was some sort of circus freak struggling to juggle ramen bowls. It's not that Naruto couldn't juggle. He just didn't have the _balls_ to do it. _(pardon the pun)_

But as he turned around, he wasn't expecting what's next.

_Bump!_

_SPLOSH!_

Ramen contents spilled on Naruto's shirt once-clean shirt, now stained and smeared of ramen soup and beef. _Well fucking done, Naruto. Fucking well done._

"What the fu—"

Immediately, he glanced up to see the face of the one who dared to ruin his day by spilling his ramen.

Cold and heartless onyx-black eyes met his cerulean blue ones. This piece-of-shit, ramen-spiller, son-of-a-bitch, gaylord stood in front of him, his eyes mysterious onyx eyes set deep within their sockets staring at him in mutual surprise. Luckily, this piece-of-shit didn't get any ramen spilled on his punk ass shirt.

"Dude, what the fuck?" Naruto swore.

But this _'dude'_ who acted so calm and cool, brushed past him and proceeded towards the cashier without even apologising like nothing ever happened just now.

"A bottle of water please." the onyx-eyed guy said to Teuchi, who was also caught in surprise by the sudden turn of events.

"Hey man, are you deaf or what? I was talking to you."

He ignored the blonde.

"Motherfucking piece of shit." Naruto punched him on the shoulder, earning his attention. "I said what the fuck?! Were you blind?"

"Hn." the guy grunted as he turned to face him.

* * *

Hinata heard a roaring sound of ceramic bowls shattered on the floor somewhere near the cashier area.

Immediately, she got up to her feet and rushed to the scene, expecting Naruto to have done something careless as usual such as slipping on the floor or just being clumsy.

But she arrived only to find her boyfriend in a heated argument with someone else.

"N-Naruto-kun!" said Hinata whilst running to the blonde Uzumaki's side. He was about to land a pummel on this guy until she came on time and grabbed Naruto's arm before their argument would escalate any further and develop into violence. And she wouldn't want that for sure.

Naruto snapped his head towards her.

"This asshole here ruined our lunch, Hinata-chan! He deserves to be taught a lesson!" his breathing was rapid, irritated and angry.

She shifted her gaze to this fellow, whom the blonde Uzumaki so eloquently branded as a 'butthole'. Then a glint of familiarity suddenly flashed across her eyes once she saw him.

_No way._ There's no mistaking it.

Hinata knows this guy.

This guy in front of him is very same one who went to the same modelling school with her back when she was still active in her modelling career. She had vivid memories about those moments. And one of her talents included barely forgetting a face.

This man in front of them is no other than him.

_Uchiha Sasuke?!_

* * *

**Author's Note**: There you go, folks!

What's Sasuke doing in Konoha?

What do you think will his role be in this story?

Don't forget to** Favourite** and **Follow** if you like it so far!

Reviews please :) Thank you and stay tuned.

* * *

HEY GUYS

**TAKING ONE WEEK HOLIDAY OFF! I'LL BE BACK NEXT WEEK! :)**


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